Salman Khan to play character a la Wolverine in Shailendra Singh's movie

Shailendra Singh, the entertainment baron who gave Indian pop culture the slogan ‘Desh Ki Dhadkan’ for a mobile ad, and who also incepted the very successful Sunburn Music Festival is all set for a comeback after a voluntary two-year break. Shailendra Singh's Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi featured 183 debutants, names such as Salim Suleiman, Vishal Shekhar, Shaan, Dino Morea, etc. His Makdee was Vishal Bharadwaj's directorial debut and film Firaaq was Nandita Das's directorial debut film. Kanchivaram which Shailendra Singh produced for Priyadarshan is regarded by many as the director's best work to date. Khuda Kay Liye and then Ramchand Pakistani brought Pakistani cinema into India Says Singh, “I wanted to distance myself from the business of making films because to me the business of making films was never a business. It was a way of connecting with the audience. After producing 72 films many of which some have been extremely influential in molding public tastes (if I say so) I wanted look assess the process of movie making vis-?-vis my own preoccupations as a movie producers,” admits Shailendra Singh who is signed on a slew new 25-28 years old directors. Says Shailendra, “In the last 3 years there has been a revolution in the acting and filmmaking areas of Bollywood. While the Khans followed by Hrithik, Akshay are still ruling, a new generation of star-actors helmed by Ranveer and Ranbir and then Sushant, Arjun Kapoor, Ayushmann and Aditya Roy Kapoor has crept in. And even as we talk another generation of actors is getting ready to come in. At the same time there is another kind of revolution in the gender equation of Bollywood with actresses like Kangana Ranaut and Alia Bhatt taking front-seat in films the way Nutan and Hema Malini used to.” Shailendra says his latest innings as a film producer will reflect his observations on the changing scenario of Indian cinema. “Though the Khans are still supreme it’s time for a new generation of actors and an entirely new idiom of filmmaking.” A film with Salman Khan is also on the anvil. Says Shailendra, “I’ve the hugest respect for him as a star and actor. And I’ve a script for him. But it works only after he is a few years older.” Though Shailendra won’t reveal more about the Salman script sources say it would be a film which would cast Salman as a desi Hugh Jackman in Wolverine. Says the intrepid producer, “It is very important for the Khan superstars to reinvent themselves. They cannot compete with Ranbir, Ranveer and Sooraj Pancholi. There would have to be different layers of stars in Bollywood with a different image and audience-profile.”