Vashu Bhagnani, producer of the recent Bollywood box-office flop Welcome to Karachi, and father of its lead actor Jackky Bhagnani, has claimed in the Indian press that a sequel, Welcome 2 Abu Dhabi, is set to shoot in the capital.
Speaking to the Mumbai Mirror, Bhagnani said: "Forty per cent of the script is ready; we should lock the script in a few days. Eighty per cent of the film will be shot in Abu Dhabi. We have yet to finalise the director."
Jackyy will return to play the lead, but his co-star Arshad Warsi is not expected to return to the sequel following a fall out with the producers during the shooting of Welcome 2 Karachi promotions. Warsi ducked out of promotional activities for the previous film, including a scheduled appearance in Dubai at the Arab Indo Bollywood Awards in May.
Although Bhagnani seems fairly certain of his plans, sources in the capital suggest that no agreement over the shoot has yet been signed. Twofour54 Abu Dhabi, which facilitates international productions in the emirate, declined to comment.
Despite the lukewarm box office response to the first film, Baghnani also claims to have plans for a third instalment, Welcome 2 London.
cnewbould@thenational.ae
