Dubai loses out on Bollywood business as ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ shifts song shoot to Mumbai

The makers of Welcome to the Jungle have revised a portion of their production schedule, relocating a planned song shoot from Dubai to Mumbai. The change follows what sources describe as evolving logistical considerations linked to the current situation in parts of West Asia.

Directed by Ahmed Khan and headlined by Akshay Kumar, the film features a large ensemble cast. According to individuals aware of the development, the decision to shift locations was taken to ensure continuity in filming timelines, particularly as the sequence involves multiple principal actors whose dates are aligned within a specific window.

The cast expected to feature in the song includes Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Raveena Tandon, Jackie Shroff, Paresh Rawal, Lara Dutta, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez and Shreyas Talpade, among others.

Production design teams are currently preparing large-scale sets at multiple Mumbai locations, including Madh Island, Golden Tobacco Studio, and Film City in Goregaon. These sets are expected to recreate high-end environments such as nightclubs and luxury spaces, aligning with the visual tone originally envisaged for the sequence.

A source indicated that the production team had been assessing the situation over recent weeks before arriving at the decision. Given scheduling constraints and the scale of coordination required, postponing the shoot was understood to be challenging.

When contacted, Ahmed Khan confirmed that the song will now be filmed in Mumbai and described it as a “glamorous song with the entire cast.”

It may be noted that film production schedules are subject to change based on a range of logistical, creative, and external factors, and such decisions are typically taken to ensure smooth execution of planned shoots.