Salman Khan to start 'Hero' remake next year

Actor-producer Salman Khan, who is all set to produce the remake of Subhash Ghai's hit film 'Hero', will start rolling the cameras for the movie by early next year.

A 1983 film, 'Hero' was directed by Subhash Ghai and featured Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Sheshadri, who were new at that time.

"Yes, I am very happy that 'Hero' is being remade and Salman Khan and his team will certainly do a good job. The film will be directed by Nikhil Advani and it will go on floors by early 2014," Ghai told IANS.

To be the first film being made under Salman Khan Productions, it will reportedly star Aditya Pancholi's son Sooraj and Suniel Shetty's daughter Athiya in the lead roles.

Suraj Pancholi’s Life Back On Track?

After spending 23 days in jail for allegedly abetting actress Jiah Khan’s suicide, Suraj, son of actors Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, is said to have finally come out of hibernation.

Suraj, who had maintained a safe distance from media glare after his release from police custody, seems to have finally moved on in life.

According to a tabloid, the star kid was seen partying with director Ayan Mukherjee at a nightclub on Saturday.

Reportedly, the aspiring actor was seen at a social gathering for the first after the Jiah Khan controversy. Apparently, he is keeping himself engaged in various activities in order to overcome his recent troubled past.

“Suraj took some time to get back on track. His family came to his aid to help him overcome his sorrows. After a long time, he stepped out of his house to party and enjoy himself,” the tabloid quoted a source as saying.

Suraj will be launched by Salman Khan in the remake of Subhash Ghai’s 1983 blockbuster ‘Hero’. The film will also mark the debut of Athiya Shetty, daughter of actor Suniel Shetty.

Suraj Pancholi Says He Still Loves Jiah Khan

Aspiring actor Suraj Pancholi, who was arrested in connection with the suicide of young starlet Jiah Khan, said that he still loves her and is not bothered if his name is associated with her.

In an exclusive interview with a leading daily Suraj, son of celebrity couple Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab, opened up about his relationship with the late actress.

Speaking for the first time about his affair with Jiah, the 22-year-old actor said he first met her through Facebook 10 months ago. According to him, a few weeks after their meetings Jiah texted him saying her hands were bleeding and if he could come help her. He immediately informed her mother Rabiya Khan, who at that time was in London and promised to come to India in two months. But it took her four months to show up. During their conversation, Rabiya also asked him to take care of Jiah in the meantime.

Suraj and Jiah eventually fell in love with each other. "She would tell me how she was depressed due to not getting work, her relationship with her family not being good, the fact that her father had disowned her and that she supported herself. She told me about her getting abused by her former boyfriends and how an older man had raped her when she was 14 in London and how at one point in her life, she would get only one meal a day. I fell even more for her. She just needed more love from her family and respect from people around. I could not fulfil all of that, though I did more than a 21-year-old could. She would cry every night. She could never be alone after she met me and would come to my house often," Suraj told The Times of India.

Suraj also said their relationship was often in trouble as she did not trust him. Speaking about the abortion that Jiah underwent during their affair, Suraj said, "One day she told me, 'Suraj, I am not getting my periods. Can we go to a doctor?' We went to this doctor, who gave her a pill saying she would get it. We went back home and everything was normal. When the police asked her family doctor if I was there at the time of abortion, they denied it. The police asked me and I said, 'Sir, we had a physical relationship. She did not tell me about her pregnancy. If it can be proven that it was mine, I will accept it otherwise it is not mine as I can't say."

Suraj went on to say that he misses Jiah and still loves her.

More than a month after her death on 2 June, Suraj is now gearing up for his film debut in Subhash Ghai's remake of Hero. The film is also said to feature Suneil Shetty's daughter Athiya in the female lead.

Salman Khan Takes Full Charge Of Suraj Pancholi's Bollywood Career

Salman Khan has taken Suraj Pancholi under his wing and has apparently asked the Pancholis to refrain from commenting on their son's debut film, the remake of the 1983 film Hero, which Salman will co-produce with filmmaker Subhash Ghai.

Suraj, who is charged with abetting the suicide of actress Jiah Khan and is out of jail on bail, went to meet Salman on the sets of Mental in Hyderabad. Salman reportedly feels that the recent spotlight on Suraj has brought undue attention to the project. 

"I can't say anything (about the meeting with Salman or Suraj's debut venture). It's not like Salman bhai has barred us from speaking, but he has said, 'Ab main bolunga (now I will talk)'. So we would rather keep quiet," said Suraj's father, actor Aditya Pancholi, about the meeting. 

According to a Hindustan Times report, Salman also assured the 21-year-old actor that he would make an announcement about the film.

"During this meeting, Salman assured them of assistance. In fact, he has asked Suraj to start preparing for his Bollywood debut. Once the Mental schedule ends (on July15-16), he is likely to officially announce the Hero remake," said an insider to the newspaper.