Champion Aussie quick changes pace with leading role in Bollywood-style film
Lee's UnIndian launches in Sydney
Former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee has hit the headlines this week with the premiere of his first Bollywood-style film, UnIndian.
The romantic comedy was produced in Sydney by the Australia India Film Fund and casts Lee as a teacher who introduces migrant students to the basics of language and Australian culture.
Quick Single: Starc happy to power through the pain
The film was launched last night in Lee’s home city of Sydney, and the cricket-turned-actor reflected on his career change.
"The part I thought would be easy and the part I thought would be hard were completely reversed," the 38-year-old told Fairfax. "I thought the hardest part before I started filming was to do the dialogue.
"There's about 119 scenes, which is pages and pages of dialogue. To try and memorise that, I thought I had absolutely no chance of doing that.
"I thought the acting part would be easier. But when I looked back after completing the movie, the dialogue came easier.
"When you've read it so many times and you're in the moment, you know the scenes back to front."
Quick Single: Pattinson fit and ready for recall
Lee’s love interest in the $4.5m picture is Indian actress Tannishtha Chatterjee, who also starred in Anna Karenina.
The former fast bowler, who has a huge following in India and is well known for his love of the Indian culture, said that all began more than 20 years ago on his first tour there.
“Well it goes back to 1994 when I first went to India,” he told sbs.com.au. “I was 17, got sick, hated bowling on the wickets, but I got home after two months and thought, I really loved that trip.
“There was something about India that struck this beautiful chord within me.
“Over the years the love grew for India, from the culture to the people.
“Fast forward a few years, and I got a couple of Bollywood offers, but I wasn't ready. I was still playing cricket.
“Then this Australian movie came across the desk. I had a look at it and loved the script, loved what it stood for, and I thought, this would be a good chance to do my first movie. So why not?”