Footballers heading for Bollywood

] England and Chelsea footballers Frank Lampard and John Terry are to appear in a Bollywood film.

The pair will have walk-on parts along with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, set to be released in May 2007.

Abhishek Bachchan, a real-life football fan, and Preity Zinta play lead roles.

"The Premier League is very popular in India," said Bachchan, whose legendary movie star father Amitabh will make a cameo appearance in the picture.

The actor said he played "a very loyal Chelsea fan" in the film and had been given a jersey by the club with his character's name - Rikki - on the back.

"We are delighted to be involved in a Bollywood movie," said Chelsea's business affairs director Paul Smith.

"We take it as a big compliment to be approached with this storyline and to be associated with this calibre of actors and actresses."

Acting careers

Lampard and Terry will follow in the footsteps of a number of soccer stars who have swapped the football pitch for the soundstage.

Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer has appeared in the British films Purely Belter and Goal!, while Scottish international turned TV pundit Ally McCoist starred with Robert Duvall in 2000's A Shot at Glory.

Vinnie Jones and Eric Cantona have both carved out acting careers in the US and France, respectively, since hanging up their boots.

David Beckham, however, was too busy to appear as himself in Bend It Like Beckham and was played on screen by a lookalike.