Is Fatima Sana Shaikh the female lead in Shah Rukh Khan's Salute?

Fatima Sana Shaikh's mentor, Aamir Khan, was the original choice of Salute. So, should we assume he suggested Fatima be roped in as the female lead opposite Shah Rukh Khan?

If the industry buzz is to be believed, Fatima Sana Shaikh is likely to share screen space with Shah Rukh Khan in Salute. The makers of the film, which is based on the life of astronaut Rakesh Sharma, will announce the female lead shortly as the film rolls next month. Fatima has reportedly confessed that it's her dream to romance SRK on screen. She is said to have a crush on him.

If the buzz turns out to be true, it will not come as a surprise. Fatima's mentor, Aamir Khan, with whom she teamed up in Dangal (2016) and Thugs Of Hindostan (2018), was the original choice. After he did a rethink, Mr Perfectionist felt King Khan was more apt for the role and recommended his name. So, should we assume he also suggested Fatima be roped in as the female lead?

Talking about the film's shoot, former Indian Air Force pilot Rakesh Sharma's biopic was to kick off in May this year, however, Siddharth Roy Kapur's offering will now roll in Mumbai's Film City, in February.

Since a couple of space films in B-town were put at the backburner, owing to the expenses incurred in tackling the genre, a source close to mid-day revealed, "The project is expensive. In a bid to ensure that Salute doesn't exceed the budget, Sidharth Roy Kapur and Shah Rukh Khan find it imperative to start shooting by February. Doing so will help them wrap up the main schedule before summer. Given that certain crucial scenes must be filmed outdoors, the duo felt shooting in the bulky costumes would be impossible during those months."

The unit hopes to wrap up another leg, set to take place at an undisclosed outdoor location, by June, adds the source. Khan, on his part, will begin prepping for his role in the Mahesh Mathai directed venture soon. "Construction work for the creation of a huge set has already commenced at Film City."

Also Read: Fatima Sana Shaikh: Did not need script to say yes

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