‘Sab dost hai lekin jab acting ka time aaya to bahut ghabrahat ho rahi thi.’
Key Points
- Daler Mehndi initially felt nervous about acting in Welcome To The Jungle but was quickly put at ease by the cast’s friendly demeanour.
- Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty were praised by Mehndi for their lack of ‘star attitude’ and for treating him like a friend.
- Johnny Lever showed great care and treated Mehndi like a brother on set, ensuring his comfort.
Daler Mehndi makes his feature film acting debut in Welcome To The Jungle and says he felt welcome and supported by the ensemble cast.
Welcome To The Jungle features Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Jackie Shroff, Paresh Rawal, Farida Jalal, Johny Lever, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Rajpal Yadav, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda and Aftab Shivdasani.
The singer admits he was initially nervous.
“I am a big fan of Akshay Kumar. I have watched all of his films and enjoy his work. Sab dost hai lekin jab acting ka time aaya to bahut ghabrahat ho rahi thi,” he says.
‘They never showed any star attitude or heroism’
Daler says his apprehensions quickly disappeared because of the warm and friendly atmosphere on set.
“Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty were very cool. They never showed any star attitude or heroism. They treated me like a friend and made me feel comfortable from day one,” he adds.
‘Johnny Lever took great care of me’
Mehndi credits Director Ahmed Khan and his team for helping him settle into his role.
“I had done a lot of shows and performances,” he says, “Mujhe pehle ghabrahat thi ki maine pehle kabhi acting ki nahi hai but Ahmedbhai and the whole team supported me a lot. Everyone treated me like a brother,” he says.
Daler also shares a fond memory of working with Johnny Lever, praising the actor-comedian for his kindness and care on set.
“Johnny Lever took great care of me. He would always check if I was comfortable and take care of me like a brother,” he recalls.
Raveena Tandon and Mehendi have worked previously, and the singer says, “We have done many shows together in India and abroad. Raveena is a very good person, and it was great sharing the screen with her.”
‘This is the biggest film’
The singer, who is known for popular songs like Tunak Tunak Tun and Bolo Ta Ra Ra among others, says he could not refuse when Ahmed Khan approached him for the project.
“I have a lot of love and respect for Ahmedbhai. When he offered me the film, I couldn’t say no. It is such a big project, and I feel fortunate to be a part of it,” he says.
“This is the biggest film. I am very happy and excited for audiences to watch it.”
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
