Don’t stop the music

A still from Bade Miyan Chote Miyan

At a time when tentpole movies are ruling the box office, director Ali Abbas Zafar is readying his action extravaganza Bade Miyan Chote Miyan with arguably the best people for the job, Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff. With the film almost wrapped up, the cast and crew recently headed to Jordan to focus on the songs. The actors, along with leading ladies Manushi Chhillar and Alaya F, shot four numbers over 12 days across different locations of the country.

We hear the unit's first stop was in Jerash, where they kicked off the shoot on January 22, followed by the filming of a party track along the Dead Sea beach. A source reveals, "A top Bollywood leading lady features as a surprise element in the pool party number. It sees the four lead actors in swimwear, shaking a leg to the catchy beats. Wallah habibi, a romantic track, was the last to be filmed in the deserts of Wadi Rum and sees the cast and over 100 background dancers in Arabic costumes and accessories."

Producer Jackky Bhagnani, who recently returned from the extensive schedule, indicates that it all worked out smoothly because the Royal Film Commission of Jordan provided support to the production team and facilitated the necessary permits. With the songs currently at the edit table, he is happy with the way they are looking. "The Bade Miyan Chote Miyan title track was filmed in Jerash, an ancient city with a beautifully preserved Roman theatre. One romantic song was shot in the modern city of Amman. We also set a [party] song at a stunning man-made white sand beach," he says. Bhagnani knew that prep would be crucial to filming these tracks at a brisk pace. That's why choreographer Bosco Martis conducted extensive rehearsals with the cast in Mumbai before they flew out. The producer adds, "All aspects, from costumes to fittings to props, were organised in advance, within a span of 15 to 20 days. To ensure precision, Bosco even conducted a reference shoot in a Mumbai studio, to make sure he knew exactly what he wanted for the final product."