15 July,2026 11:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Amaal Mallik and Salman Khan. Pics via Instagram and X
Composer Amaal Mallik has revealed why Salman Khan recorded his own version of Main Hoon Hero Tera for the 2015 film Hero, saying the superstar wanted to divert attention from the negativity surrounding debutants Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty ahead of the film's release.
Speaking to Mashable India, Amaal Mallik recalled that the original version, sung by his brother Armaan Malik, had already become a chartbuster after it was released alongside the film's trailer. However, as Hero neared release, Salman, who co-produced the film with Subhash Ghai, decided to lend his own voice to the track.
"The trailer came out with Armaan's voice, and the song became a blockbuster. But when the film released, there was a lot of negativity around it. Salman sir said, 'I should do something to take the negativity away and put the focus on me, not Sooraj and Athiya.' He has always been that kind of person," Amaal shared.
According to the composer, Salman consciously chose to put himself in the spotlight to protect the newcomers. "He took the bullet himself. He said, 'I'll come and sing the song. It should be the end-credit track because I'm introducing them, and I'm a hero too. I'm a hero, so I'll sing it.' Then he said, 'Let's dub my version and see how it turns out.'"
Amaal added that although Salman never claimed to be a singer, he trusted the team completely. "He would tell me, 'I'm not a singer. You decide.' But he had to take that call, and it turned out to be the right one."
Recording Salman's version turned into a marathon effort, with the song being dubbed across eight different locations, including Himesh Reshammiya's studio, Yash Raj Studios, Salman's farmhouse and even a film set.
"The first session was at Himesh Reshammiya's studio, where we dubbed for three hours. The second was at Yash Raj Studios, the third at his farmhouse, the fourth on a film set. In total, we dubbed the song at eight different locations,"
Amaal revealed, adding that using the same microphone throughout helped maintain consistency in Salman's vocals. He also shared the technique used to complement Salman's naturally husky voice. "He has this naturally husky voice. The baritone is there. I kept the microphone six feet away and switched on reverb to create a mountain-like echo. Then I would sing one line first and ask him to repeat it."
Amaal believes the magic they created on Main Hoon Hero Tera remains unmatched. "He has sung many songs after that, but what he achieved in terms of levelling and hitting the notes on Hero was special. Salman bhai himself told me, 'Whatever magic we created in Hero, nobody has been able to recreate.'"
He also recalled a memorable moment from the music video shoot. "The moment he removed his sunglasses, I asked him, 'Bhai, why did you do that?' He replied, 'That's where the views will come from, son.' The man knows who he is. He owns his stardom."
Directed by Nikkhil Advani, Hero marked the Bollywood debut of Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty. The film released amid intense public scrutiny surrounding Sooraj over the Jiah Khan case, a controversy that overshadowed much of its promotions. In 2023, a special CBI court acquitted Sooraj Pancholi of the charge of abetment to suicide due to lack of evidence.
