After playing the bad boy in the immensely successful movie, "Dabangg," Bollywood actor Sonu Sood will be playing the much-acclaimed character from the Booker Prize-winning novel, "Life of Pi," by Yann Martel.

Internationally celebrated director Ang Lee of such movies as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Brokeback Mountain" will be shooting an adaptation of the book for which he has cast Indian actors, including Sonu.

The role of Pi, which is pivotal in the book, will be played by an as-yet-unnamed 17-year-old from Delhi, while Sonu will play the role of Pi's father.

Sonu met Lee at a Mumbai five-star hotel in September where Lee supposedly told him to tone down his 6-pack body and get physically ready to play the father to a 16-year-old. While Sonu confirmed that he had met the acclaimed filmmaker, he refused to divulge anything more about his role in the movie.

In recent times, Indian stars Aishwarya Rai in "Pink Panther 2" and Anil Kapoor in "Slumdog Millionaire" have made the crossover to Hollywood successfully. Now, it seems, it is Sonu's turn to try his luck by following in their footsteps.

Shooting for the film is expected to begin next year in the picturesque town of Pondicherry.