Enkayaar, Bollywood Trade News Network

Shoaib Malik the touring Pakistani Cricket Teams captain has in an interview revealed that he has got offers from the Hindi film industry to act and when the time comes he would be making the disclosure. Whenever the Pakistani Team comes to tour on the Indian soil the history has been replete with the examples of one or two players flirting with the Hindi film industry. It all had started with an Imran Khan who had indeed emerged as the icon of the youth in Asia by modeling for Cinthol Products and the phenomenal value that he was able to add to the product sales was a feet which still has to be emulated. Mohsin Khan had an unsuccessful career in the Hindi films even though he got a very good break in J P Dutta's BATWAARA. But he could not endure the success and he had to return back. Wasim Akram is still flirting with the media in the form of diabetes advertisement campaigns with which he has associated himself.

Were one to analyze the reason behind this flirtation with the Hindi film industry one thing that would emerge crystal clear is the glamour that is associated with this industry. This was the reasons why even Brett Lee from Australia keeps on coming back to the Hindi film and even Michael Clarke has expressed his interest to be associated with this industry in one form or the other.

One thing from this flirtation by cricketers of various countries is clear that the open arms with which the Hindi film industry embraces the celebrities from the cricket world serves the dual purpose. On the one hand the cricketers can have an opportunity to have another career; the Hindi film industry gets publicity by the players of these countries when they go back to their respective countries to advertise about the products with which they are associated. Brand ambassadors like Gary Sobers and Vivian Richards from the past are prime examples.

The glamour associated with cricket in India and the synergy that Hindi film derives from its association with cricket is what kindles the hope among these overseas stars to try their luck in this field as well. The recent association of Shah Rukh Khan with the Indian cricket team, be it the 20-20 World Cup, or the 20-20 one day that was played in Mumbai was a clear pointer to this fact. The presence and intermingling of the stars with the cricketers provides a wonderful opportunity to market the event as also the individual products. Till the time the cricket matches were held in Sharjah, the platform was used for release of various Hindi films and other associated events related to the Hindi films. The full house matches between India and Pakistan owed also to the stars that used to grace the occasions.

Now the industry has grown up from that nascent stage, and it has the courage to announce and launch its products at any of the venues where the Indian cricket team is playing anywhere in the world. CASH which was marketed around 20-20 World Cup is a live example.

While the flirtation is easy, and it adds to the novelty, there is no longevity to it, as all the involved parties are aware that association with the Hindi film industry on a long term basis would have diminishing returns. It is the short term association with the products that works in an advantageous manner for all of them.

May be then, as market for Hindi films in Pakistan is opening up, Shoaib Malik may like to increase his fan following through association with Hindi films and provide a new footing to the industry in the new markets in Pakistan.