Bollywood and cricket have a long history that isn't limited to sports biopics or celebrities marrying cricketers. While it is common to see actors stepping into the shoes of cricketers or other athletes to portray them on-screen, it is uncommon to see athletes do the same, i.e., acting in movies. However, a few athletes have dared to step outside of their comfort zones to showcase their acting abilities. Right from the time of Salim Durrani to the younger lot like M.S Dhoni, the bond gets stronger.
On February 2, Dhoni released the first look from his upcoming new-age sci-fi graphic novel 'Atharva-The Origin,' in which he portrays a warrior named Atharva. Here's a look at five other Indian cricketers who have dabbled in acting.
Sunil Gavaskar
Former Indian cricket Sunil Gavaskar is known as 'the Little Master' for his sky-kissing sixes and impeccable straight drives, which were often a source of consternation for pace bowlers. But Gavaskar is more than just a cricketing superstar. He also appeared on the 70 mm screen while playing for the Indian cricket team. In 1980, the former Indian opener appeared in the Marathi film 'Savli Premachi.' He also made a cameo appearance in Naseeruddin Shah's 1988 film 'Malaamaal.'
Kapil Dev
Former Indian Cricket Team Captain Kapil Dev, also known as 'The Haryana Hurricane,' has a special relationship with Bollywood. This is before the release of his recent biopic '83.' There was a time when the cricketer stunned his fans with his performance in the 2005 film 'Iqbal.' Dev has also acted in films such as 'Dillagi...Yeh Dillagi (1994),' 'Chain Kulli ki Main Kulli' (2007), and 'Mujhse Shaadi Karogi' (2004).
Yograj Singh
Actor and former cricketer Yograj Singh is one of the few actors who began his career in cricket before moving on to success in films. In addition to being Yuvraj Singh's father, he is well-known for his frequent appearances on the big screen. Singh, who has appeared in over 30 Punjabi and 10 Hindi films, received widespread acclaim for his portrayal of Milkha Singh's coach in Farhan Akhtar's 2013 film ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’. He was last seen in a small role in the 2021 Bollywood film 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui'.
Harbhajan Singh
Former Indian bowler Harbhajan Singh has a special relationship with Bollywood, and it is not due to his marriage to actress Geeta Basra. Singh made his Tamil film debut in 2021 with 'Friendship,' and later that year starred in another Tamil movie 'Dikkiloona.' He has previously appeared in Bollywood films such as 'Mujhse Shaadi Karogi' (2004) and Punjabi films such as 'Bhaji In Problem' (2013) and 'Second Hand Husband' (2015).
Sreesanth
Former cricketer Sreesanth is one of the few cricketers who achieved greater fame and success through acting than through cricket. Sreesanth, who finished second in Bigg Boss 12, has previously appeared in films such as ‘Big Picture’ 2015), ‘Aksar 2’ (2017), ‘Team 5’ (2017), ‘Cabaret’ (2019), and ‘Kempe Gowda 2’ (2019). He has also appeared on reality shows such as ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa’ and ‘Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena’.
