Composer Amaal Mallik has revealed why recorded his own version of ‘Main Hoon Hero Tera’ for the 2015 film Hero, saying the superstar wanted to shift attention away from the negativity surrounding debutants Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty.
Speaking to Mashable India, Amaal recalled that the original version of the song, sung by his brother Armaan Malik, had already become a massive hit after it was released with the film’s trailer. However, as the film approached its release, Salman, who also produced Hero with Subhash Ghai, decided to record another version himself.
“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.”
“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 said Salman never claimed to be a singer but still took it upon himself to record the track.
“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 the song across eight locations
Amaal revealed that recording Salman’s version was a lengthy process spread across multiple locations.
“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.”
Using the same microphone throughout the process proved to be a blessing.
“When you sing on different microphones, your voice changes. We were lucky because we used the same microphone every time.”
The trick behind Salman’s vocals
Amaal also shared the recording technique he used to complement Salman’s distinctive voice.
“He has this naturally husky voice. The baritone is there—not like Amitabh Bachchan sir’s—but it is definitely there. I kept the microphone six feet away and switched on reverb to create a mountain-like echo. Then I asked him to sing. I would first sing one line and then ask him to repeat that line.”
Amaal believes no one has been able to recreate the sound they achieved on the song.
“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 while filming the song’s music video.
“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, and I think he absolutely killed it with this song.”
Two versions of Main Hoon Hero Tera
Composed by Amaal Mallik with lyrics by Kumaar, Main Hoon Hero Tera had two official versions. The first, sung by Armaan Malik, was released with the trailer of Hero and became an instant hit. Salman Khan later recorded his own rendition, which was used as the film’s end-credit song. Its music video featured Salman recording the track in the studio and has since garnered more than 139 million views on YouTube.
A partnership that began with Jai Ho
Amaal made his Bollywood debut as a composer with Salman Khan’s Jai Ho in 2014. He reunited with the superstar the following year for Hero, before collaborating again on Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan.
after Main Hoon Hero Tera became a chartbuster, Amaal credited Salman for changing the course of his career.
“Working with him in my first film was a huge honour, but my music from Jai Ho was not promoted anywhere on any platform and it was way too ahead of its time, I guess. Salman sir wanted my song to be the first release from Jai Ho but it didn’t happen as the music label felt that it was too new-age. Later came my time of redemption when Salman sir called me for Hero and our collaboration on ‘Main Hoon Hero Tera’ became a rage and the love anthem of 2015.”
He had added, “The man stood up for me when no one did. I owe it to him that I had the guts to go out there and become a music director. After Hero, the world’s faith was restored that I could make romantic music and that I wasn’t just a one-song wonder. I can’t thank him enough for making me take that leap of faith at 23. His blessings and love have helped me go from strength to strength.”
“I was struggling to put food on the table for my family and myself when he came into my life like an angel and signed me for such an ambitious venture. It was surreal. Overnight, I became Bollywood’s newest find and Salman Khan’s protégé.
Why Hero was surrounded by controversy
Directed by Nikkhil Advani and jointly produced by Salman Khan and Subhash Ghai, Hero marked the Bollywood debut of Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty. The film released amid intense public scrutiny surrounding Sooraj, who was facing allegations in the Jiah Khan death case at the time. The controversy overshadowed much of the film’s promotions. In 2023, a special CBI court acquitted Sooraj Pancholi of the charge of abetment to suicide, citing lack of evidence.