It’s confirmed. Not Aamir Khan, but Shah Rukh Khan will play astronaut Rakesh Sharma in the bio-pic Salute produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur and directed by Mahesh Mathai. And the changeover is, according to very reliable sources, “very smooth stress-free and amicable”.

Apparently, Aamir personally met Shah Rukh Khan to tell him that the role is worth his, Shah Rukh’s, while. Says an informed source, “So the first question Shah Rukh would’ve asked Aamir is, if it’s such a great role why are you not doing it yourself? Before that poser, Aamir Khan explained to Shah Rukh that he, Aamir, intended to devote at least ten years of his life to a very dear project, presumably the Mahabharat, and has therefore stopped accepting any other assignments. Aamir Khan strongly recommended the Rakesh Sharma bio-pic to Shah Rukh Khan as a script worth walking that extra mile for.”

After deep discussions and long meetings with Siddharth Roy Kapur, Shah Rukh has been signed to play Rakesh Sharma. Sources totally discard the other names thrown around for the part. “It was mentioned that Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh were approached and that they turned down the role. Not true at all. The role went straight from Aamir to Shah Rukh.” Interestingly Salute is not Shah Rukh’s first brush with the space and astronomy. He had played a NASA engineer in Ashutosh Gowariker’s Swades. Little did he know he would return to that milieu.

Shah Rukh Khan grabs Amir Khan's role in the bio-pic Salute

Here is the real reason why Aamir Khan has decided to opt out of astronaut Rakesh Sharma’s bio-pic. It’s not the script or the budget for this film to be produced by Sidharth Roy Kapur that’s the problem. It’s Aamir Khan’s commitment to one particular project for the next ten years of his life.

According to sources in the know, Aamir has decided to stay out of all outside projects as he will now concentrate on working on a franchise that his production house has been developing for the last six years. Says a very reliable source, “Yash Raj Films’ Thugs Of Hindostan will be Aamir Khan’s last outside film. For the next ten years Aamir will now devote his entire attention to a franchise product which will stretch into several films, all produced by and starring Aamir Khan and some of them also directed by Aamir.”

The first film in the franchise to be launched in 2018 will be directed the Secret Superstar director Adaviat Chandan. Initially, informs the source in the know, five films were planned by Aamir in the franchise. These will stretch into the coming decade, with the promise of more to follow. “This essentially means, Aamir will be seen only in his own home production for the next ten years playing the same character each time,” says the source.

Amir Khan has planned his next 10 years of cinema

When it was announced that Aamir Khan would be making a small-budget-high-concept film called Secret Superstar, what intrigued many was who exactly is this person, Advait Chandan, who has got a chance to direct this flick. Enquiries revealed that he has been associated with Aamir and has worked with the superstar as his manager. During the shoot of Secret Superstar, Advait preferred to not come out much in the media or give interviews. His entire focus was in making Secret Superstar and ensuring that he gives his hundred per cent to it.

Now that Secret Superstar is out and the film has achieved success, Advait has now shown his media-friendly side. A few days ago, he was very much a part of lead actor Zaira Wasim’s birthday celebrations. Then yesterday, he threw a bash to celebrate the success of Secret Superstar, which was unusual since it’s the producer who organizes such parties.

While talking to the media at the bash, Advait Chandan made a shocking confession. While everybody thought that he’ll be now thinking about making another film and this time it’ll be bigger, the debutant director instead expressed wish to work in Aamir Khan’s directorial venture and that too as an assistant! He revealed, “I hope that Aamir Khan directs and I can be his DA (Director’s Assistant). During the shoot of his directorial debut Taare Zameen Par, I was assisting in the production department. I was the assistant of Kiran mam (Kiran Rao). So I’d love him to direct and work under him. That’s what I’d love to do.”

Having said that, Advait Chandan makes it clear that he does have directional aspirations and would love to make another film. Regarding this, he said, “I directed Aamir Khan in a very small role. I wish I could do a film where he has a bigger role and where he is the lead. It is very exciting to direct him.”

Advait Chandan wants to be Amir Khan's Assistant

Aamir Khan is an Indian film actor, director, screenwriter, producer, television presenter and one of the most popular and influential actors of Indian cinema.

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