Salman Khan's new protege

Salman Khan, who has an eye for fresh talent, is all set to launch newcomer Zaheer Iqbal in Bollywood. Though Zaheer doesn't hail from a film family, his father and Salman have known each other for years. It was by sheer chance that Salman spotted Zaheer at his sister's wedding, where he was doing a stage performance. That's when the superstar decided that he would introduce him in the movies.
Now, the wait has finally ended for Zaheer. Salman will launch him on the big screen in a love story set in Kashmir. Salman's banner SKF (Salman Khan Films) is producing the film along with Murad Khetani and Ashwin Varde of Cine1 Studios. The yet-to-be-titled film will go on floors in September this year and will be helmed by Nitin Kakkar, who directed 'Filmistaan' (2013). The leading lady opposite Zaheer will also be a new face and is expected to be finalised shortly.

Salman, who has been training Zaheer for a while now, is confident of his abilities and has named him Zahero', and that's what the film's crew also calls him. Incidentally, the superstar personally did Zaheer's photo shoot recently (see inset picture). The last time Salman picked up the camera to shoot an actor, it was for Hrithik Roshan. Says Salman, "Zaheer is made for the movies. He is a fantastic actor and a born star. The film's producers are equally confident. "Zaheer is here to stay for the long run, says Murad Khetani, while Ashwin Varde adds, "His greatest asset is his honesty and that shows on screen. Director Nitin Kakkar, who is looking forward to the journey ahead, shares, "Zaheer's level of commitment towards his work is great. He will go a long way.