Was Offered Lead Role In Bollywood Movie 'Gangster': Shoaib Akhtar

Much like several other cricket stars, Shoaib Akhtar wanted to try his hand out at acting and has revealed that he was offered the lead role in the Mahesh Bhatt directorial.

Ex-Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar enjoys a huge fanbase in India. Known as one of the fastest bowlers ever to grace the game of cricket, the right-arm pacer has brought many laurels to his country and featured in several memorable victories for the country. 

Much like several other cricket stars though, Akhtar wanted to try his hand out at acting and in a recent interview the Rawalpindi Express has disclosed that he was even approached for a lead role in Mahesh Bhatt directorial Gangster as reported by The Express Tribune, quoted via news agency ANI.

The movie hit the theatres in 2005 and eventually starred Shiney Ahuja and Kangana Ranauat as its lead cast.

While Akahar fans were eagerly waiting for his biopic: "Rawalpindi Express: Racing Against the Odds," the former cricketer had announced that he was disassociating himself with the project due to "disagreements and contractual infractions." It is not yet clear whether the movie will ever be made.

Anyways, the 47-year-old is always in the news for his views on issues concerning Pakistan, India and world cricket. And this time around, he has slammed The Men in Green's captain Babar Azam for his communication skills. 

"Abhi aap dekh le, koi character nahi team mein. Naa koi baat karne ka tarika. (You can see there's no character in the team, nor they know how to talk). How awkward it looks when they come to the presentation. Kitna mushkil hai English seekhna aur baat krna? (How difficult is it to learn and speak English?). Cricket is one job, and handling media is another. If you can’t speak, I am sorry, but you won’t be able to express yourself on TV," he said in an interview with a local Pakistan channel.

"I want to openly say that Babar Azam should be the biggest brand in Pakistan, but why hasn't he become the biggest brand in Pakistan? Because he can’t speak," he added.

He argued that retired cricketers like Shahid Afridi, Wasim Akram and he himself are approached by brands for advertisements more often than someone like Babar is because of their better communication skills.