Welcome To The Jungle director Ahmed Khan breaks his silence on why leading ladies Disha Patani and Jacqueline Fernandez have limited dialogues and screen time in his comic caper.
The release of Welcome To The Jungle brought the familiar chaos of the beloved franchise back to the silver screen, but it also sparked a debate online. Fans quickly noticed that leading ladies Disha Patani and Jacqueline Fernandez seemed to have significantly fewer dialogues and less screen time compared to their male counterparts.
In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, director Ahmed Khan addressed this criticism head-on, explaining why the film was structured the way it was.
He revealed that the comedy was always designed to revolve around Bollywood’s veteran comic performers—Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Shreyas Talpade, Aftab Shivdasani, Arshad Warsi, and of course Akshay Kumar.
“They are kings of comedy,” Ahmed said, adding that even if the women had more lines, it wouldn’t change the dynamic when placed among such seasoned comic talent. He stressed that every actor knew what they were signing up for, and the heroines were given scenes that fit the film’s rhythm rather than lengthy monologues.
He explained that Jacqueline’s role, for instance, was built around her knack for creating funny moments by asking bizarre questions that leave everyone stunned. On the other hand, Disha’s arc was entirely different. She plays Akshay Kumar’s ex-girlfriend, constantly teasing him, calling him a cheater, and trying to make him jealous. Ahmed described her character as one that spends the film insulting Akshay, carrying both humor and emotional baggage.
The director admitted that the biggest challenge was managing a cast of 34 actors. “If you give each of them even four minutes, that alone makes up the entire film,” he explained. With so many performers, equal screen time was simply impossible. Yet he believes the actresses were satisfied with their roles, pointing out that Lara Dutta and Raveena Tandon managed to leave strong impressions despite limited appearances—Lara with her whip-cracking authority and Raveena as the lone woman holding a village together against the villain Jatara.
Ahmed also reminded audiences that Disha and Jacqueline had their own moments in the film’s songs, including the Kaanta Laga remix sequence he counts among his favorites. For him, the balance was about ensuring everyone contributed to the chaos without derailing the comedy’s flow.
Welcome To The Jungle boosts of a massive ensemble cast that includes names like Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Jackie Shroff, Raveena Tandon, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Lara Dutta, Shreyas Talpade, Aftab Shivdasani, Farida Jalal, amongst others.
