Sooraj’s film shelved again

The actor made his debut in Hero but things have been quiet on his career front since then

Sooraj Pancholi made his debut with Nikhil Advani’s Hero in 2015, but things have been quiet on his career front since then. There were talks of the producer of Hero, Salman Khan, doing another film with Sooraj, but sources close to Salman say the star-producer had no such plans. It was heard that Sooraj was meant to star in Salman’s production of a remake of Puri Jagannath’s Telugu hit Rogue. However, a source close to Salman reveals, “These are all false rumours. As far as Salman was concerned, he kept his word of launching Sooraj in Hero. That was it. There was no talk of any more films with Sooraj.”

Since Sooraj’s debut, one has off and on heard about several projects that he’s meant to do as a lead, such as an action-romance by Kumar Mangat Pathak. That film never took off. Another project, a dance-action film directed by Remo D’Souza, starring Ajay Devgn was also put on hold. Another set back for the young actor comes with filmmaker Faruk Kabir’s Muhafiz, which has also been stalled since the financiers chose to back out. A filmmaker who is keen to re-launch Sooraj says, “The boy was given no fair deal. His debut was ridden with controversies after his then girlfriend Jiah Khan committed suicide and he had to prove himself.” The director adds that the remake of Hero as Sooraj’s launch was a bad idea. “No debutant should touch a classic. Jackie Shroff is considered an icon for the original Hero and even his son Tiger refused to act in the remake. It’s a terrible beginning for Sooraj. Thereafter no production house is willing to back any project with him,” says the director.

As far as Salman was concerned, he kept his word of launching Sooraj in Hero. That was it.