This idea stemmed from the news that Sadagopan Ramesh is making his big screen debut in Santhosh Subrahmaniam alongside Jeyam Ravi. Ramesh is not the first person to make an attempt at tinsel town.

Many former cricketers have tried their hand at this alternative form of stardom with varying degrees of success. Here’s a look at some of the sportsmen who dared their histrionics and become actors.

1.Salim Durani Maybe the first cricketer to take the big step into the world of movies. He didn’t have to work too hard to fit into the roles. Blessed with some natural good looks, an athletic with enviable popularity amidst the public, he did look good on screen as he made his big screen debut opposite one of the top heroines of the time, Parveen Babi. However nothing much materialized from that and Salim’s filmi career was over quite soon though his popularity remained unmoved. Salim is still remembered as one of India’s first genuine all rounders. 2. Salil Ankola The only cricketer who has achieved a reasonable degree of success in the entertainment industry. He is known more for his small screen heroics than his exploits with the cricket ball. Never a frontline member of the Indian cricket team he was however a member of the squad that reached the semifinals of the 96 World Cup. He changed careers soon after and found the big screen a bit too hot to handle, has been quite a prominent face on the small screen for the past five years. 3. Ajay Jadeja He had all the right elements to strike the right chord with audience. After being barred from playing cricket after the infamous match fixing scandal, Jadeja tried his hand at movies. The flashy personality, the ever ready smile and lots of attitude might have helped him in front of the camera. However his debut in movies proved disastrous with Khel in which he starred alongside Suniel Shetty that bombed at the box office. He has not tried much except chat shows on TV since then.

4. Vinodh Kambli The spring that failed to blossom. Bad timing and bad luck prevented his cricketing career from really getting set; it was always in fits and starts. It was around 3-4 years back that he tried his hands at movies but people had nearly forgotten his name owing to his long absence from the cricketing scene and the movie failed miserably. He has not been seen on the big screen since. And there have been others who have made fleeting appearances in movies including the legendary Kapil Dev in Iqbal. We also hear that a movie with Mohinder Amarnath in an important role is in the making. The track record of cricketers in the film industry is not very encouraging. Maybe they are better off wearing pads, gloves and helmets rather than grease paint. Now Sadagopan Ramesh is trying to make a mark. One must say that he is well prepared after quite a few hours spent in front of camera on TV in the company of seasoned actors. He might know that acting in movies is a different deal altogether as different as Test cricket and 20-20. However, we wish him all the best for his innings on the big screen.