Riding on the huge success of Welcome (2007) and Welcome Back (2015), the third installment of the Welcome franchise – Welcome to the Jungle attempts to revive the slapstick madness of its predecessors but struggles under its own colossal weight.
While the original Welcome starring Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor, Paresh Rawal with Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif, and Welcome Back which again had Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Paresh Rawal with John Abraham and Shruti Haasan were perfectly in sync with the cinematic sensibilities of their respective eras, this latest chaotic venture feels severely outdated. There is no actual adventure in the jungle as the film’s title suggests.
Absurd Economics, Vanishing Humor in Welcome to the Jungle
The core problem lies in its overcrowded canvas and an absolute disregard for narrative logic in a film that has a flawed premise and dated execution. The third part kicks off on an incredibly absurd note. The entire plot hinges on the illogical idea of producing a ₹2,000 crore movie solely to show artificial losses to the Income Tax Department.
While logic is rarely expected in a slapstick comedy, this foundational premise stretches disbelief to a breaking point. It fails to evoke the effortless, situational humor that defined the earlier films. The reason – it is overly stuffed with a star-studded cast that is miserably managed.
An Overcrowded Ship Kept Afloat by Nostalgia
With an ensemble this massive, screen time is a casualty. The film suffers from having far too many actors, leaving many of them criminally underutilized. For example Shreyas Talpade and Tusshar Kapoor are completely wasted in nominal roles. Singer Daler Mehndi, appearing as Daler, is left with absolutely nothing substantial to do. Though the villains and supporting cast of Aftab Shivdasani (Abdullah), Mukesh Tiwari (Rangwa), and Yashpal Sharma (Jagwa) play their parts decently. Kiran Kumar makes his presence felt briefly as Murad Chacha and Farida Jalal delivers a typical, predictable performance as Badi Bi, the elderly matriarch of Azadgunj village.
The veteran comedy brigade does what it can to anchor the sinking ship, though the results remain mixed though the star actors Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty lead the chaos efficiently, slipping back into their comic personas with ease. Even Raveena Tandon shines as Zoya, successfully re-igniting her classic, nostalgic screen chemistry with Akshay Kumar. Jackie Shroff leaves a strong impression as Zatara (the terrorist).
Bright Spots & Bitter Ends
However, the scene-stealer is Johnny Lever who delivers a truly standout performance as Dubey, proving why he is a comedy legend. Arshad Warsi brings his trademark sharp comic timing, while Krishna Abhishek and Kiku Sharda navigate their assigned parts effectively. The creative duos in the film Paresh Rawal shares the frame with Rajpal Yadav (playing co-director Dev). However, Paresh Rawal’s performance is noticeably hindered by inconsistent diction and dialogue delivery.
There is an overdose of glamour over substance as the female leads find themselves trapped in poorly written arcs that prioritize appearance over depth. Jacqueline Fernandez playing a rich businessman’s daughter, she serves her purpose as the film’s glamour quotient while playing her character’s silly traits surprisingly well. Disha Patani as Nadia Daruwala, she is given absolutely zero scope to showcase any actual acting ability. In contrast Lara Dutta stands out as a bright spot, looking perfectly cast and convincing as a strict military instructor.
Welcome to the Jungle collapses under the pressure of trying to accommodate an army of actors. Despite a few nostalgic sparks and reliable bursts of comedy from seasoned veterans like Johnny Lever and Arshad Warsi, the film with a run-time of 164 minutes ultimately feels like a relic of the past that desperately lacks the coherence and charm of the original hits. Thank God that Ahmed Khan has refrained from using double meaning or adult jokes. That could make it a weekend family viewing.
Cast of Welcome to the Jungle:
Akshay Kumar as Rajiv Kohli and his father Vishwajit Kohli
Suniel Shetty as Yeda Anna
Disha Patani as Nadia Daruwala
Jacqueline Fernandez as Jenny (Sinha’s daughter)
Arshad Warsi as Romeo
Jackie Shroff as Zatara (Terrorist)
Paresh Rawal as Das (film director)
Rajpal Yadav as Dev (Associate of Das)
Raveena Tandon as Zoya
Lara Dutta as Teja (Army trainer)
Farida Jalal as Badi Bi
Johnny Lever as Dubey
Shreyas Talpade as Nainsukh (the cameraman)
Tusshar Kapoor as Benny
Krushna Abhishek as Rambo
Kiku Sharda as Jumbo
Daler Mehndi as Daler
Aftab Shivdasani as Abdullah
Mukesh Tiwari as Rangwa
Yashpal Sharma as Jagwa
Kiran Kumar as Murad Chacha
Zakir Hussain as Sinha
Vindu Dara Singh as Ghoni
Hemant Pandey as Kishan
Brijendra Kala as Ramprasad Udayvar
Firoz Khan as Arjun
Pankaj Dheer as Karan
Puneet Issar as Duryodhan
Sudesh Berry as Vikrant Singh
Vrihi Kodvara as Urvi (Zoya’s daughter)
Akshara Singh in the item number ‘Ghis Ghis Ghis’
Credits of Welcome to the Jungle:
Production companies – Star Studio 18, Base Industries Group, Cape of Good Films, Seeta Films
Directed by Ahmed Khan
Story by Neeraj Vora
Dialogues by Farhad Samji
Produced by Firoz Nadiadwala, Rakesh Dang, Vedant Vikaas Baali
Cinematography – Kabir Lal
Edited by Nitin Pathak
Songs by Vikram Montrose, Anand Raaj Anand, Talwiinder, NDS, Sajid-Wajid
BGM Score – Hanif Shaikh
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