Tina Turner to star in Bollywood

Pop diva and Buddhist Tina Turner will play an Indian goddess in a new Merchant-Ivory film, a newspaper report announced.

Turner, who had a successful farewell tour four years ago, said she had enjoyed being able to fill stadiums, "but now I'm ready to move onto another kind of performance," she told The Times of India newspaper.

Famous for power-packed performances in high heels and leather miniskirts, Turner will star in the new Merchant-Ivory film, "The Goddess," the newspaper reported.

"I think Ismail (Merchant) chose me because of my shakti (strength) within," the 64-year-old Turner said. "I'm special in that I've had a long run and I'm still here."

Merchant, a producer known for making movies with director James Ivory , said Turner had spent two weeks in India and had been practicing classical music with Zakir Hussain, India's maestro of the tabla, a small set of drums.

"She'll have to sing in Latin and Sanskrit for the film," he said.

Turner, who acted with Mel Gibson in "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome," said she's looking forward to the new role, "not as Mad Max, but as a goddess â€" that's real power and real love."

She also insisted she'd be able to keep up the new generation of pop singers, if she wanted.

"I can stand with any of them on stage and hold my own," said Turner. "I am still in the playground."
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