Theatre personality and family friend Nadira to play Salman Khan's on-screen mother in 'Mental'

Nadira Zaheer Babbar will play mother to Salman Khan in his brother Sohail Khan's upcoming film. The actress, known for her theatre troupe and plays, has steered clear of B-Town. She made a rare appearance on the big screen in Gurinder Chadha's Bride and Prejudice and in M F Husain's Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities in 2004.

Says a source, `The makers are keen to cast her. She is trying to adjust the dates as she has a new play opening early May.`


Interestingly, the Babbar-Khan friendship goes a long way. Nadira's husband Raj Babbar and Sallu's father Salim Khan have known each other for decades. In 2009, Salman had specially flown to Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh to campaign for Babbar, who was contesting the parliamentary by-election.

Later the star MP had been cast in the Sallu-starrer Bodyguard at the last minute to essay the role of Kareena Kapoor's father.

He had replaced Shatrughan Sinha, who cited a busy schedule and opted out of the project. Moreover it was Salim Khan who had suggested the name of Imaan for their daughter Juhi Babbar's son who was born last September.