The current week has seen quite a lot of this, of realms overlapping each other, the lines being blurred. Cricket and cinema have had some sweet and successful associations while cinema and politics have more real life than reel life associations which have turned out to be more fascinating than the fictional world of cinema itself.

Now, you need not be educated about the real life association of cinema and politics, especially if you are from Tamil Nadu or Andhra Pradesh. Having said that, the rest of the country is not immune to cinematic politics, Dharmendra, Shatrughan Sinha, Raj Babbar, Hema Malini and Govinda are some examples. Even in USA there is one Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger whom we once thought was good only at flexing his muscles, is now a governor of California. So, what’s new, or not so new about cricket, cinema and politics choosing to confuse and amuse us with their associations, various permutations and combinations? Well, there are some very new eager or not so eager entrants into this crossover area where one is part-time actor and full time cricketer and the other is not yet decided about what he wants to do full time, politics or cinema. Now for the news, Bret Lee is turning to acting and Chiranjeevi to politics. Now both might not be surprising for those of you who have been following the careers of these personalities. That Chiranjeevi was under great pressure to emulate the late N.T.R is common knowledge and that Bret Lee has a parallel off-season career/hobby of being a rock star is not hidden from many. What quite a few of you might have missed is the news that the fastest bowler in the world (conditions apply) has already released a Hindi duet along with the legendary Asha Bhonsle. Now you know where the signature ‘rock star’ hairstyle and the killer smile come from, this man is no stranger to show business.

That Chiranjeevi is turning to politics is news that awaits final confirmation from the megastar himself. But that many believe is just a formality that has been delayed due to unforeseen developments in his family. His entry into from reel games to real games was a thing waiting to happen, but nothing can be said until things are officially stated because when it comes to political sojourns of film stars things can get very filmy with twists at the very last minute. Meanwhile the usual speculations surrounding such a long impending announcement have begun trying to decide the stance which the megastar’s supposed party will take. Will it be pro-TDP, pro-Congress or a stand alone rebel? Will it ask for a new Telungana and will it be a party exclusively to uphold the rights of the community that the actor hails from? No one seems to have given much thought about whether he will continue to reign the screens, though it is almost a foregone conclusion that actors who enter cinema never leave cinema until they attain the position that prevents them from having the time or the security to carry on in films. So, all the fans of Chiranjeevi are waiting for Sankranthi when like all years he will have something special for them. This time it will not be a film, it will be the announcement for the new political power in AP. If not Sankranthi, it will be for Telugu New year, they never lose hope. The time will come.

Now to Brett Lee, Obviously the bloke (as they call them in Australia) knows a lot more than hurling red cherries as fast as he can. He is a good mate to have, they say and he is a great fan of Bollywood; some people have unique tastes. He has for a long time wanted to act in a Bollywood film but cricketing commitments and injuries and of course lack of offers didn’t allow him to do so. Though the music album that he cut along with some ads that he has done seem to have got him the opportunity. We are likely to see him in a Hindi film titled Victory some time in 2008. The movie will be very predictably based on cricket and will also have besides Lee at least 10 other contemporary cricketers. Maybe Lee gets to do a special rock number? There are quite a few cricketers who have been offered roles in movies in the recent past, none of them really materialized except, of course, our very own Sadagopan Ramesh. Among the ones rumored to have got offers is Anil Kumble, but he couldn’t accept it because he got a better offer, to captain the Indian team and is doing a good job at it.