Filmmaker Ahmed Khan has expressed happiness over the audience response to ‘Welcome to the Jungle’. He said that years of hard work were successful. Khan said that despite the big star cast, the film was made with a budget of Rs 115-120 crore and gave credit to the entire team for this.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [भारत]June 29 (ANI): Filmmaker Ahmed Khan says the overwhelming response from the audience to his latest multi-starrer film ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ has made years of hard work successful. He credited the film’s huge star cast and the producers for believing in his vision and revealed that despite the large scale, the project was made on a controlled budget.
Talking about the response the film received, Khan said that the biggest reward was to see the audience laughing in theatres. He told ANI, “Two years, two and a half years of hard work… people giving him so much love and laughing is what we wanted and they are really laughing. My heart is filled with joy.” Responding to compliments from actors including Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Raveena Tandon and producer Firoz Nadiadwala, who praised his ability to bring together such a huge cast, Khan said the credit goes to the entire team. “Sabka saath… sabka vikas… mere saath woh ho gaya,” he said with a smile, adding that every actor stood firmly behind the project.
Praise for producer Firoz Nadiadwala
Praising producer Firoz Nadiadwala, Khan said that he was driven more by passion than business. He said, “I can’t just call him a producer… he is passionate. So much passion as a producer…”
Called Akshay Kumar the ‘pillar’ of the film
The director gave special praise to Akshay Kumar, calling him the “pillar” of the film. Khan said, “Seven o’clock shift, set pe pehla banda khada hai… He was like a pillar in the film. Agar woh pillar hilta… mera tent hi gir jaata,” Khan said, adding that Sunil Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Johnny Lever and Paresh Rawal also supported him throughout the shooting.
Inspired by classic Hindi cinema
Talking about the references to classic Hindi cinema in the film, Khan admitted that he deliberately took inspiration from the films he grew up watching. He said, “What was the wish of the heart… We said put everything in it, mix everything, because we will not get this opportunity again to gather so many actors.”
Explaining that the film pays homage to cinema rather than copying it, Khan said that filmmakers naturally learn from the classics. He said, “Cinema is only what we saw…some are fans of Mehboob Khan Sahab, some of Guru Dutt Sahab, some of Raj Kapoor Sahab…we all have moved forward while watching.”
Ahmed Khan spoke on comedy
Talking about the comedy, the ace director said that the team deliberately avoided misogynistic humor and instead relied on situational performances. He credited the comic parts of Johnny Lever to late writer Neeraj Vora. He said, “The reaction that was coming in the theatre… this man is making people laugh by not speaking dialogues. Normally people make people laugh by speaking dialogues.”
Akshay and Sunil’s comic chemistry
Khan also talked about recreating the comic chemistry between Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty. “Akshay and Anna’s tu-tu main-main hoti… their timing is impossible. It comes automatically,” he said, adding that Sunil’s “Yeda Anna” persona took inspiration from his memorable performance in ‘Awara Pagal Deewana’.
low budget film
The filmmaker revealed that despite having a big star cast and massive action sequences, the film was completed on a budget of around Rs 115–120 crore. He said, “Technically speaking, our film was completed within around Rs 115-120 crores… and salute to Akshay, who did not even take his fees.”
Response to online trolling
On dealing with online criticism, Khan said that trolls don’t bother him. He commented, “Their food, their food is what they are… If they don’t troll then what is their existence.”
Directed by Ahmed Khan, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ stars Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Jackie Shroff, Paresh Rawal, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Johnny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Rajpal Yadav, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Daler Mehndi, Aftab Shivdasani, Mukesh Tiwari, Yashpal Sharma, Kiran Kumar, Zakir Hussain, Vindu Dara Singh, Urvashi Rautela, Hemant Pandey, Brijendra Kala, Firoz Khan (Arjun), late Pankaj Dheer, Punit Issar, Sudesh Berry, Jeetu Verma, Vrihi Kodwara, Aditya Singh and Bhagya Bhanushali are also there.
Ahmed Khan’s entertainer ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ is presented by AA Nadiadwala, Cape of Good Films and Star Studio18 in association with Sita Films and Rakesh Dang. It was released in theaters on 26 June. (ANI)
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