After Pahalgam tragedy, 'Welcome 3' might resume shooting in Himachal
What's the story
Director Ahmed Khan has revealed in an interview that the shooting schedule for Welcome to the Jungle was disrupted because of the Pahalgam tragedy in Kashmir.
The film, produced by Firoz Nadiadwala and starring Akshay Kumar, has been facing multiple delays due to both the tragedy and reported financial issues.
"We've already shot two lengthy schedules. We were supposed to shoot in Kashmir in June for a third long schedule," Khan explained to Bollywood Hungama.
New plans
'Kashmir schedule had to be canceled'
Khan added, "That would have brought us close to completing the film. But then the Pahalgam tragedy happened. The Kashmir schedule had to be canceled."
The team is now considering other locations for the shoot, such as Kullu or Himachal Pradesh. "But going back to Kashmir is not feasible. We have to plan the schedule from scratch in another location."
Scheduling challenges
'Coordinating dates of 36 actors again is no small task'
Khan also highlighted the difficulty of rescheduling shoots with a large cast. "Coordinating the dates of 36 actors again is no small task. We're working on it," he said.
The film has been in production for over one and a half years, with around 60% reportedly complete. However, shooting has been stalled due to pending payments for the cast and crew.
Cast loyalty
Some actors have reportedly left due to these challenges
Despite the delays and financial issues, the cast of Welcome to the Jungle remains committed to the project.
Some actors have reportedly left due to these challenges, but others are still on board for "the love of the franchise."
The film also stars Paresh Rawal, Suniel Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Johnny Lever, and Rajpal Yadav.