Gemma Atkinson breaks into Bollywood

Actress and lingerie model Gemma Atkinson is set to break into Bollywood with the film Fever.

The former Hollyoaks actress has reportedly replaced Barbara Mori in the role.

Producer Ravi Agarwal said: "The logistics of bringing Barbara down were prohibitive. It wasn't working out commercially. Plus, I was strongly of the opinion that we needed a fresh face for the role, and that's the reason we replaced her."

Speaking to The Times of India, the actress explained why she chose to star in Fever.

"I loved the script," Atkinson said. "It has everything: love, murder and action. The Bollywood film industry is so glamorous.

"For me, it was about discovering another side and seeing how things in Bollywood are done."

Atkinson said she learned Hindi with the help of a tutor.

"Learning Hindi was extremely hard. I'm still not fluent but I understand my lines in the script, which is important. I want my lines to come across well on-screen."

Atkinson has shot four movies in the UK, including The Sweet Shop and a comedy called How To Stop Being A Loser, which will release in cinemas in November.