March 15, 2007	Thursday	Safar 25, 1428

NEW DELHI: From Sobers-Mahendroo to Zaheer-Isha, affairs of the heart between cricketers and Bollywood stars have left all spellbound. It all started when Sir Garfield Sobers landed in India and fell for Anju Mahendroo, a reigning Bollywood beauty. Since then, it has been the razzle-dazzle of the sexy sirens and not the lethal yorkers from speedguns that have managed to bowl over the willow warriors. Some weathered the storm others just went awry.

But it was the romance and eventual marriage between the Nawab of Pataudi and actress Sharmila Tagore that set in the media frenzy. It was stuff that fairytales are made of — an erstwhile Nawab cricketer and the reigning diva of filmdom.

Cricketers and film stars have always had a connection for reasons unknown! Bollywood stars marrying Indian cricketers or cricketers having a relationship with a Bollywood actress are nothing new. These are sagas that are told and retold, just like grandma’s tales.

Since they are both under the spotlight, they strike a similar chord,” opines actress Amrita Arora, who is dating county cricketer Usman Afzal. “Also, the interaction is more as they are thrown together quite often — at functions, endorsement and other social dos,” she adds.

According to actress Nagma, who has been linked to Saurav Ganguly in the past, “Cricketers prefer the company of film stars because they are both well known in their fields and the constant pressure of proving oneself doesn’t exist.”—Dawn/The Times of India News Service