The Portugal government has allowed Tarla Sarogi, producer of the movie "Jazba" based on Abu Salem's life, to shoot in the European country but authorities in Dubai, from where the gangster once allegedly operated, have turned down a similar request.

Tarla is the wife of Salem's lawyer Ashok Sarogi, who says a lot of progress has been made in the project. Salem, an accused in the 1993 bomb blasts case, is currently being held in Arthur Road Jail here.

"A lot of progress has been made in the project. We have finalised the cast and script. We have got permission to shoot in Portugal but not in Dubai," Ashok Sarogi told.

Asked about the actors, he said it was too premature to divulge the names of those will feature in the film that is likely to trace the journey of the gangster from Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district who rose to become one of India's most wanted men.

He said an appeal would be made to court so that Salem is released from jail for shooting certain "crucial" scenes that will feature the gangster.

Salem was extradited in November last year with his companion, starlet Monica Bedi, from Portugal.

In the blasts case, Salem is facing the charge of going to actor Sanjay Dutt's house to deliver an AK-56 rifle. The CBI has contended that Dutt accepted the rifle.

Salem's trial is, however, separated from that of Dutt and other accused in the case, the verdict in which has been delivered in a phased manner since September. Salem is also an accused in the murders of city builder Pradeep Jain and actor Manisha Koirala's assistant Ajit Dewani.