Leander Paes to make his Bollywood debut with Rajdhani Express

Leander Paes has been the flag-bearer and the sports magnet for the game of tennis in India. His passionate and lionhearted performances whenever he’s played for India, has established him as the action man of Indian tennis. But Leander will soon be seen in a new avatar in the glamourous world of Bollywood. Yes…you heard it right. Leander will be making his Bollywood debut in Rajdhani Express directed by Ashok Kohli. The film has him playing the role of a common man. Leander has always been an admirer of Mahatma Gandhi, and when he read the script, it struck a chord in him, as it reflected Gandhiji’s immortal words "Be the Change that you would like to see in the world" in an entertaining and engaging way. Leander has been receiving film offers since1996, but he was too engrossed in tennis and self admittedly, not ‘ready’ to take the plunge. However, he has always been an avid film lover and feels that films do have the power to transport you to an exhilarating world. The tennis sensation believes that his ability to connect with people will serve him good in the world of cinema too. Besides the noted Bengali Poet and dramatist Michael Madhusudan Dutt is his ancestor, so he does have some acting talent in his genes. It will be interesting to see if this tennis champ who has won many hearts with his on-field performance has yet another ‘ace’ up his sleeve with Rajdhani Express.