Director Ahmed Khan’s Welcome To The Jungle, featuring a star-studded cast of 34 Bollywood actors, hit theatres on June 26. While the film’s biggest attraction is its ensemble cast, bringing together so many actors also meant handling an enormous production setup. After Ahmed Khan recently revealed that the film’s set required nearly 50 vanity vans and around 250 cars every day, actor Tusshar Kapoor has now shared his thoughts on the massive scale of the production and the expenses involved.

Tusshar Kapoor opens up on 50 vanity vans at Welcome To The Jungle set: “Is it really justified?”

Speaking to Screen, Tusshar recalled being surprised by the sheer number of vanity vans lined up on the set. He revealed that it often took him nearly five minutes just to reach his own vanity van because of the long queue of parked vehicles. Reflecting on his first impression, he said, “I used to just look at these vans and wonder what would be the daily cost for so many vans, and everyone’s staff. Is it really worth taking so many actors? I used to wonder that while Ahmed has a vision; he is bringing a new genre which was never attempted in India. But is it really justified having so many actors and doing so much kharcha?”

Tusshar also praised Ahmed Khan’s commitment to his vision, revealing that despite a one-year gap in the film’s shooting schedule, the director never compromised on his plan. “Ahmed was adamant that he needed everybody in every shot. There was a one-year gap in shooting Welcome. When the film resumed, he never thought to just shoot with actors available on set. He stuck to his guns and finished the film,” he said.

The actor also addressed the ongoing discussion around entourage expenses in Bollywood. While he acknowledged that actors require certain comforts to perform at their best, he stressed that there should be a reasonable limit. “Some of that cost, even if it feels a little excessive, is required. You need your hairstylist, your makeup man. You need some perks. Going by the stress a leading actor or actress goes through, you need some comfort, space, and luxury to actually bring your best out. This is a visual medium, so to bring that beauty across, you need some kharcha and pampering. It’s fine. But there is a limit. It shouldn’t go beyond the basic requirement of vanity to a point where it becomes narcissism. It should not be done to satisfy your ego. That’s not good,” he explained.

Emphasising the need for responsible spending, Tusshar further added, “Some production houses give the director whatever he or she requires, that shows on screen, so it is justified. But when it becomes more about megalomania, and the producer is bleeding for no rhyme or reason, that has to be cut out. There has to be balance.”

Earlier, Ahmed Khan had spoken to The Hollywood Reporter India about the complex logistics involved in filming Welcome To The Jungle. Explaining the scale of the production, he said, “When audiences watch the film, they will only see the 34 characters on screen. But when you look at the breakdown behind the scenes, you realise those characters are just the tip of the iceberg. Imagine setting up a shoot of this scale.”

The director revealed that apart from the main cast, each actor was accompanied by an entourage of around five members, resulting in nearly 150 people associated with the actors alone. Combined with a crew of around 200 members, stunt teams, horse handlers and 150–200 background dancers, the number of people on set often ranged between 700 and 900. Describing the operation, Ahmed said, “Managing our set was less like managing a traditional film shoot and more like organising a massive music concert every single day. Imagine setting up a shoot of this scale. We didn’t just need a ground; we had to find two massive, adjacent grounds. Why? Because we needed space to park 50 vanity vans.”

Also Read : Tusshar Kapoor recalls pressure of being a star kid: “Go to parties, be in the news”