Thirty years ago, he changed the course of Jackie Shroff's career by re-launching the khalnayak of Swami Dada as a Hero. And two months ago, at the music launch of Heropanti, Subhash Ghai admitted that he was envious of the film's producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Sabbir Khan because they were getting to launch Jackie's son Tiger.

The showman had joked, “When Tiger was born, I had sent Jackie a cheque of Rs 21,000. So, in a way I had signed him 20 years ago."

Ghai had directed father and the then baby Tiger in a short video on national integration, Sara Bharat Yeh Kahe, decades ago, but it was Sajid who got the credit for Tiger's successful debut. “That was because I was busy with Kaanchi for two years. But, Tiger came to me for my blessing when he signed his first film and I'm really happy about his success. The boy has a great future,“ says Ghai, who has been working on a script with Jackie's cub in mind. “By the end of the year I'll start a film with Tiger in the lead. It'll be a romantic film with lots of action. I haven't decided on a name yet, but I'd like a younger director to helm it," says Ghai.

Ghai, who is currently co-producing a remake of Hero with Salman Khan, with Aditya Pancholi's son Sooraj stepping into Jackie's shoes, points to several similarities between the father and the son. “He has the same innocence in his eyes and the romance in his smile. But Tiger can beat Jackie in action and dance," asserts Ghai.

And will this film bring father and son together on screen? “Why do you want me to divulge everything? Let there be some mystery left," says Ghai.