Former vice-captain Ajay Jadeja is all set to make his debut in a Bollywood potboiler "Khel". Directed by debutant Yusuf Khan, the movie has Jadeja pitted against seasoned actor Sunil Shetty and former beauty queen Celina Jaitley. But despite its rather suggestive title, "Khel" is anything but a sports story. The film in fact is an emotional saga about two close friends in love with the same girl.

Though enjoying the new challenge, Jadeja, who is now facing a five-year suspension for his alleged involvement in match-fixing scandal, is quick to retort that cricket will always be his first love. "Yes, that has always been the first priority and it will remain so. It's just that I did not have the option earlier, I could not play. But now I can. Even now when there is a match these people cancel my shoot and allow me to go. Cricket has always been my first priority," said Jadeja, who has got a reprieve from a local court.

Jadeja filed a case in Delhi high court for reconsideration of his ban orders by the Indian cricket board. An arbitrator appointed by the court ruled Jadeja could play local matches. The case is to come up again later this month. Jadeja has also been signed to play the lead in another romance "Pal Pal Dil Ke Pas" which is about the relationship between a grandmother and her grandson.

Known for his stylish strokes on the field, Jadeja said he was enjoying his innings as an actor. "They are completely different fields you can't compare. One is all about reality and the other is absolute fiction. These are two different worlds and they should not be compared as both are important in their own way," said Jadeja. And as far as his acting histrionics go, close friend and co- producer of "Khel" Sunil Shetty was more than happy to bet on Jadeja's abilities. "From a producer's point of view and not just as a friend, I genuinely feel he's a very very good actor. And when we made this first, Yusuf, our director also felt that Sunny (Deol) suited the character of Rajvir Scindia as a police officer, and Ajay (Jadeja) suits his role. So, that is why we went ahead with the casting," Shetty said.

Cricketers being smitten by Bollywood is not new. Former batsman Vinod Kambli has acted in a film titled "Anarth" and cricket legend Mohinder Amarnath has also reportedly agreed to do a role in an untitled foreign language film. In the seventies, Sunil Gavaskar acted in two Marathi films at the peak of his cricketing career- "Svali Premachi" and "Zakol" while wicket-keeper Salim Durrani set the screen on fire in a family drama "Charitra".

Sandeep Patil, the man who hit Bob Willis for six fours in an over, was paired opposite Bengali beauty heroine Debashree Roy in "Kabhi Ajnabee Theh". Skipper Saurav Ganguly also has an offer to act in a Bengali movie "Chandramalika".