‘You Need Khoon, Paseena, Mitti Ki Khushboo’

‘All of that combined makes a Hindustani film.’

For a film within a film, Welcome to the Jungle follows a group of misfits who find themselves in the middle of a jungle adventure.

The trailer, packed with some of Bollywood’s biggest names, gave us the impression that the film might draw inspiration from Ben Stiller’s 2008 action-comedy Tropic Thunder.

But lead star Akshay Kumar and Director Ahmed Khan reject those comparisons and insist that Welcome to the Jungle is not a remake.

Akshay, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Johny Lever, Disha Patani, Ahmed Khan discuss their film. Mayur Sanap/Rediff listens in.

The trailer made it seem that this might be a remake of Tropic Thunder. How true is that?

Ahmed Khan: No, no. This is not a remake. We basically just recreated the idea. It’s a nostalgic event for all of us.

All the films that we have seen since childhood, like Rambo…

Akshay Kumar (interrupts): My earlier film Tees Maar Khan had the same concept. In that one too, we are making a film within a film.

Ahmed Khan: Basically, it’s a major nostalgia event. You come and enjoy the nostalgic event.

Akshay, did you pull off pranks on your co-stars on this set?

Akshay Kumar: Actually, it’s a rumour. I don’t do it.

He is the biggest prankster (points at Aftab Shivdasani).

He does so many pranks, but he does it with a straight face. I know him, I’ve done so many movies with him.

I’ve been on so many outdoor shoots with him. But he does it with a straight face. You won’t even know.

Disha, you are doing comedy for the first time. Was it difficult?

Disha Patani: Comedy is very difficult. But everyone made the set so comfortable that we enjoyed a lot.

Ahmed sir made sure to take care of everybody on set.

Ahmed, you have such a big star cast in this film. Did anyone feel they were given less importance?

Ahmed Khan: No, because the writing is so good.

Eighty percent of the film has everyone together. There were no scenes where three people were separate, four people were separate, or one person had more scenes. Everyone was together in all the scenes. Everyone is in a situation together.

So during the shooting, during the editing, there was never any issue of control or importance. That issue never came up.

Johny, you are famous for doing funny roles. Have you ever been offered a serious role? Or a villain role?

Johny Lever: Yes. I played Kader Khan’s son in Sapoot (the 1996 drama film, also starring Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty). It was a serious character.

There’s a new movie coming out called Sabse Bada Rupaiya. I’m playing the main lead there.

Bhojpuri artists are making a significant mark in Bollywood.

Akshay Kumar: An artist is an artist. Be it from Bhojpuri, Hindi, or Gujarati. We have included a dialogue in the film that Bhojpuri is much better than Hollywood.

Jacqueline (Fernandez) says it, and we mean it.

I’ve done this Ghis Ghis Ghis song in this film. It is a Bhojpuri song. The way they make the songs, it gives you so much energy, it’s fun!

Ganesh Acharyaji picturised that song.

I remember I had a fever of 102, 103 degrees but I didn’t feel it because that song had so much energy.

Suniel, you have worked with Ahmed Khan many times before. How do you look at his evolution?

Suniel Shetty: I think it started with choreography for the song Paro (from the 1996 film, Shastra).

Then, there was Sundara Sundara (from Rakshak).

I’ve done a lot of films with him as a choreographer, so I know he has a lot of talent.

But Welcome To The Jungle was a very difficult film to shoot. I don’t think any other director could have shot it. Weather-wise, Terrain-wise, it was very tough.

But the way Ahmed managed it, hats off to him!

Ahmed Khan, the director, can handle any situation. These days, you have to become a producer’s director, an actor’s director, and hold on to the script. It’s very important to balance everything and Ahmed managed this.

This film wouldn’t have been possible without him.

I’m not talking about hit or flop. From an entertainment perspective, this film is extraordinary.

Akshay, as a producer and actor, how important is it for you to take a subject that is socially relevant and add humour in it?

Akshay Kumar: Look, there is a difference between making a documentary and a commercial film.

You can make a commercial film on sanitary pads, toilets, or any story. I have made a film on sex education.

But you don’t tell people things the way a documentary does.

In that, you need a story. In that, you need maa ke kangan. You need khoon, paseena and mitti ki khushboo.

All of that combined makes a Hindustani film.

What’s the secret behind keeping your life simple?

Akshay Kumar: I know only one thing: Do not do anything bad to anyone. Keep your life very simple. That’s it.

Even then, we used to eat dal-roti. Even now, we eat dal-roti and jeera aloo.

We live a simple life. In that way, the mental problems you are talking about can be kept away.

Earlier, we did not have money. Even then, we were happy. Even today, we are happy.