What Bollywood producer Mahesh Bhatt proposes, Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar disposes.

Bhatt wanted to cast the Rawalpindi Express in his latest venture "Gangster" but reports from across the border say that Sohail's tribulations with the Pakistan Cricket Board apart, he says the game is his first love and will remain so.

Even so, the Bhatt camp is not giving up.

"Yes Bhatt has approached Shoaib for a role in my film "Gangster", said director Anurag Basu.

"Reports say he doesn't want to do it. But he hasn't informed me, Bhatt or (Pakistani actress) Meera (who also stars in the film) about his decision. This week Bhatt and Meera will be in Pakistan when they'll meet Shoaib," Basu added.

But then, the Bollywood experience of cricketers from across the border has been far from favourable.

Mohsin Khan married Reena Roy and was introduced by J.P. Dutta in the big-budgeted "Batwara". Amidst a rabble of big Bollywood stars like Dharmendra and Vinod Khanna, Mohsin hardly got noticed.

Bhatt, who has always preferred the unpredictable course in his cinema, also worked with Mohsin Khan in "Saathi", where he cast him as the good man opposite baddie Aditya Pancholi.

"Saathi" bombed - and so did Mohsin's starry dreams. He left Bollywood, and his wife Reena Roy.

Cricketers have never had an easy time in the movies anyway.

On this side of the border, Sandeep Patil, Salim Durrani and Salil Ankola tried to be movie stars and failed. The latest Indian cricketer to make a fool of himself on celluloid is Ajay Jadeja, who was booed out of Bollywood after Khel.

Also, contrary to the image-building exercises between the countries, the Pakistanis aren't really keen on seeing their celebrities in Indian films. They feel it to be a sign of cultural hegemony from their stronger more domineering brother.