Bollywood A-listers’ status symbol: vanity vans that include gyms, bars, party zones

Bespoke, state-of-the-art vehicles are custom made, and it is where stars retreat on shoots to conduct business meetings, relax, work out, and even host parties

Shahrukh Khan’s vanity van, rumoured to be among the costliest, is nicknamed ‘Palace on Wheels’, and is said to convert into a party zone with special lights

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Shah Rukh Khan’s van was designed by car designer Dilip Chhabria. Photo: Mr. Track/Captured from Youtube

Published: 5:00pm, 8 May 2022

New Delhi: Glamorous vehicles owned by Bollywood stars – the closest thing to royalty in the nation of 1.38 billion – are often of great interest to the Indian public.

Fancy wheels often make headlines, and evoke awe among fans: Aamir Khan’s Mercedes-Benz Maybach S600 to Akshay Kumar’s Rolls-Royce Phantom, Ranveer Singh’s Aston Martin Rapide S and Amitabh Bachchan’s Bentley Continental GT, to name a few.

Lately, their “vanity vans” have also crept into the limelight.

Owned by leading film stars, these are basically spacious vehicles – occasionally repurposed buses or coaches – used by stars as retreats during long shooting schedules. They function as a home away from home, where stars can relax, conduct business meetings, and do so much more within their cosy confines.

Bollywood A-lister Kareena Kapoor is a proud owner of a vanity van, whose cost may run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. Kareena’s van also serves as a greenroom where she and her team get glammed up in preparation for shoots. Photo: Kareena Kapoor Khan/Captured from Facebook

Many have theirs specially designed and custom made, and may include bars, lavish restrooms, party zones along with well-equipped gyms.