Ketan Rawal, owner of 65 Vanities: Said- Actresses used to change clothes behind the tree, Poonam Dhillon brought first vanity, now Kangana’s most expensive van

Near Goregaon Filmcity in Mumbai.. 3 pm time. There is a big parking area here. More than 40-50 big vehicles are parked, seeing which I felt that this is some small bus stand. Some people present there were seen playing cards while talking, some were seen cleaning the vehicles.

However, these bus-like vehicles are vanity vans used by film stars for changing clothes, make-up and rest during shoots.

There I met Ketan Rawal, the owner of In Vanity Vans. Ketan tells that he has 65 vanity vans. From Amitabh Bachchan to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, almost all the big film stars, sportspersons and even the Ambani family use their customized vanities.

We spoke to Ketan Rawal about the business and maintenance of these vanity vans.

Earlier, stars used to change clothes under a tree or by making a cloth circle.
Ketan says that I have seen in the video that when there was no vanity facility, Rekha ji and Bachchan sahab used to change their costumes behind the tree. For many artists, junior artists used to make a circle of saris and chadars, in which they used to change clothes.

Now after the facility of this vanity, this struggle of the artist is over. Firstly, in 1985-86, actress Poonam Dhillon got a vanity van made, which was inaugurated by Amitabh Bachchan.

This picture is of Poonam Dhillon’s vanity van inauguration, which was also attended by Anil Kapoor and Sridevi.

Poonam wrote about this on social media in 2021 – I didn’t know I was making history in the film industry when I first started my makeup vanity van. Many artistes thank me for bringing this concept to the film industry. Earlier there was a lot of difficulty in shooting on location – no toilet, no place to change clothes and eat food, the artist had to spend time on location in the sun and dust.

First customized vanity made for Saif
Ketan says, first of all I made a customized vanity van for Saif Ali Khan. Till 2013, it was like this that the van we used to give to the artists, they used the same. For the first time, we came up with the concept that we will design and give it according to what the celebs want in the vanity.

I asked Saif sir what kind of van he wanted. After this, I made the sofa cover, from wooden flooring to curtains according to their choice. Saif sir wanted a JBL music system, I got the same installed.

Kangana Ranot’s van cost about 65 lakhs
Every artist has different demands. Kangana Ranaut needs a traditional look. Who is the interior designer of his house, he has got the design of his vanity done in the same way. Their sofas are carved, the chairs are also made from original wood. It was our priority to make them feel at home. Kangana has got the company of her choice installed even jet spray in the bathroom of the vanity.

This has been the most expensive van I have ever owned. It took 65 lakh rupees to customize it. When Kangana is shooting somewhere, she uses this van. When there is no shooting for them, the van stays parked in our parking lot.

This is Nora’s vanity van, which has been customized by Ketan Rawal.

Where SRK’s van cannot go, our van is called
Shah Rukh Khan’s vanity is so big that he cannot visit every location. Once his film set was outside Mumbai, where his van could not go.

Then our vanity was used for 35 days. Since then, our vanity is called at the location where Shah Rukh’s vanity cannot go.

The specialty of Nora Fatehi’s van is the CCTV camera.
Usually celebs do not like CCTV in their vans, but Nora has got CCTV installed inside and outside her van. She wants to sit inside and see her fans outside.

Whereas, when she is on the set, she keeps watching what is going on inside the vanity. There are about 300 vans in the industry which do not have CCTV cameras inside.

Rohit Shetty wants more space in vanity van
Rohit Shetty’s team is huge. Only 10-11 assistant directors work under them. Shetty sir’s demand was such that he needed space to sit with 10-12 people in his vanity.

Every day after the shooting is over, he sits in the vanity with his team and discusses the plan for the next day’s shoot. A month ago, I got a big room vanity made for him. In this, a special recliner has been installed for him, sitting on which he talks to the team.

Rohit Shetty’s vanity van, in which 10-12 people can sit together at a time.

Vanity van made for Nayantara as well
South’s popular actress Nayantara, who is currently filming with Shah Rukh Khan, demanded that her room should have only her set up. Usually there are two rooms in the van of celebs.

One for him and the other for the staff. Nayantara wanted only one room for her vanity and a washroom with a cubicle shower. After this I customized the van on his demand.

Ambani family also uses our vanity
I think there would be hardly any actor in the industry who would not be sitting in my vanity. I have customized vans for Amitabh Bachchan, Sonakshi Sinha, John Abraham, Sunny Deol, Arjun Rampal, Kangana Ranaut, Shilpa Shetty, Raveena Tandon, Taapsee Pannu.

Even today the Ambani family uses my van for any function. Wherever Nita Ambani goes in IPL, our van goes there. I get a call from his team, they tell me the location.

John Abraham and Dhoni want more sports channel in vanity
The facilities that are available in 5 star hotels and big celebrity homes, the same facilities are also available in our vans. The vanity van has now become a second home for the artist. Those people spend more time in vanity than they do not live in their own house. They need all the facilities like TV, geyser, micro wave.

Many artists come in a direct van from the gym and take shower here. If someone wanted a jet spray in the bathroom, then that too is available from the company of their choice. Which channel is required in TV, recliner is required to watch TV, we provide every facility. Like John Abraham and Mahendra Singh Dhoni need more sports channels, we provide every such facility.

This is Ketan Rawal who is the owner of Mumbadevi Vehicles. He has been making vanities for stars for 20 years.

The van fare is fixed according to the demand of the artist.
I never give van of one artist to another artist. When no artist has a shoot, the van remains empty on that day. The rent of the van is fixed as per the demand of the artist.

Among cricketers, our vans also go for Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. Now suppose that very few vans are used for them in a year, so in this case we charge 15-20 thousand rupees a day.

I had given my first van on rent of 7500, which also included the salary of the staff. The staff only went away with Rs 3000, the remaining Rs 4500 were for maintenance and taxes.

In 2013, the budget of the film was also less, the film was made in 15-20 lakhs. Now films worth 100 crores have started being made. In such a situation, the budget of the van has also increased slightly. Actors don’t have to pay, the investment is mine. He just has to tell the location of his shoot, my van reaches there.

Mumbai Police was given 25 vanities during the lockdown
Mumbai Police also needed vanity vans during the lockdown, especially for female constables, who were facing a lot of difficulty in going to the washroom. She did not drink water many times, so that she did not have to go to the toilet again and again. I was very touched by her talk, felt that she is making such a big sacrifice for us. After this I gave 25 vanity vans to the police department without any rent. My journey from Mahim to Virar

Common man can also use our van
Not only celebs, common man can also use this van. These days there is a need for such luxury vans in weddings as well, we provide that too.

We don’t get any advance, we don’t get any advance payment in the film industry. The money is received only after the shooting is over. The terms and conditions of each platform are different. Ad films are received after a week of payment. The shooting of some films is schedule wise, so payment is received from them after the completion of each schedule. We get paid for the films of big production houses only after their release. At the same time, after 3 months of airing of TV shows, its payment is received.

Came to Mumbai with Rs 3000, today I own 65 vans
I have a vow, which I fulfill even today – I donate all the first day’s earnings from my new van to Titwala Ganpati Temple, which is located in Titwala Maharashtra. I request the producer to give me money in cash instead of cheque, and I donate the same money.

27 years ago I came from Gujarat to Mumbai with just Rs 3000, today I own 65 vans, which no one in the country has. Father had told me- If you want to do something big in Mumbai, then you must visit Mumbadevi Mata.

When I came out after visiting him for the first time, I got a chance to do a small role in Gujarati theater and the journey started from there. I started my business in 2003, at that time I was in partnership. From 2005, I started making my own vanity.

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