Welcome to the Jungle brought Akshay Kumar back to the comedy series he launched in 2007, with a cast of more than 30 actors and a shoot that nearly fell apart. Here are six facts about the big comedy return.
Welcome to the Jungle, the third film in the Welcome series, released worldwide on Friday 26 June 2026 after paid previews the night before. Directed by Ahmed Khan, it stars Akshay Kumar in a dual role alongside Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawal, Disha Patani and Raveena Tandon, and it grossed about ₹112 crore worldwide.
It reached cinemas two and a half years after filming began, following a production that was halted by money problems. Reviews were mixed, but the film still counted as one of Akshay’s two successes in the first half of the year.
Welcome to the Jungle at a glance
- Release date: 26 June 2026, with paid previews on 25 June
- Director: Ahmed Khan
- Story and dialogue: Neeraj Vora (story) and Farhad Samji (dialogue)
- Producers: Firoz Nadiadwala, Rakesh Dang and Vedant Vikaas Baali
- Studios: Star Studio18, Base Industries Group, Cape of Good Films and Seeta Films
- Runtime: 164 minutes
- Indian certificate: UA 16+
- Worldwide gross: about ₹112 crore
- Franchise: Welcome (2007) and Welcome Back (2015)
1. Welcome to the Jungle is Welcome 3, with a new story
The first Welcome, directed by Anees Bazmee and released in December 2007, starred Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Anil Kapoor, Paresh Rawal and Nana Patekar. It was the second-biggest Hindi film of that year. Welcome Back followed in 2015 with John Abraham and Shruti Haasan.
The makers described the new film as part of the wider Welcome universe rather than a direct sequel, as The Hollywood Reporter India reported when the date was locked. The plot is new: a fake ₹2,000 crore film is used to trap an international crime cartel, and the cast and crew head into a jungle to shoot it.
The fake mission turns real when terrorists attack, and the hopeless film unit has to save a village. The idea is loosely drawn from The Producers and Tropic Thunder.
2. The Welcome to the Jungle cast is enormous
Akshay plays two roles, Rajiv Kohli and Vishwajit “Babuji” Kohli. The ensemble around him reads like a roll call of Hindi comedy:
- Suniel Shetty as Yeda Anna
- Paresh Rawal as Das the Director
- Arshad Warsi as Romeo
- Disha Patani as Nadia Daruwala
- Jacqueline Fernandez as Jenny
- Raveena Tandon as Zoya
- Lara Dutta as Ustad Tejaswini
- Jackie Shroff as Zatara
Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Aftab Shivdasani, Krushna Abhishek and Kiku Sharda add to the chaos. Paresh Rawal, who appeared in both earlier films, is the strongest link to the original.
3. The shoot took two years and nearly collapsed
Ahmed Khan took over as director from Anees Bazmee, and filming began in December 2023. According to the film’s Wikipedia entry, production was halted in June 2025 because of financial problems, and some actors reportedly considered quitting after the shoot was cancelled for a third time.
Shooting resumed in November 2025 with a song sequence and finished in December 2025. The budget is estimated at about ₹125 crore, though earlier reports put it far higher, and Akshay reportedly gave up his fee in exchange for a share of the profits. We covered the end of filming in our story on the Welcome to the Jungle shoot wrap.
4. Parts of it were filmed in the UAE
Most of the film was shot in Mumbai, where a 10-acre jungle set and a replica of a Kashmiri town were built at Film City in Goregaon. The production also filmed in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, where two romantic songs were shot.
The soundtrack mixes old and new. Five singles came out before release, starting with the title track on 18 May 2026, and “Ucha Lamba Kad Forever” recreates a favourite song from the 2007 film.
5. Welcome to the Jungle box office: a strong start
The comedy opened with ₹18.73 crore, made up of ₹14.80 crore on day one and ₹3.93 crore from paid previews. Wikipedia’s latest figures put its total at ₹95.32 crore in India and ₹16.94 crore overseas, about ₹112.26 crore worldwide. By 29 June it was already the sixth-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2026.
Whether it is a hit depends on the budget you believe. Pinkvilla’s half-year report, written while it was still running, expected it to end as a hit, one of two for Akshay in the first half of 2026 alongside Bhooth Bangla. On the higher budget estimates, the total would fall short.
6. Critics were divided
Bollywood Hungama and News18 gave it 3.5 out of 5, while Hindustan Times, Firstpost and The Times of India gave 3. India Today and Rediff gave 2.5, NDTV and Outlook gave 2, and The Indian Express gave 1.5, with Shubhra Gupta writing that the film groans under the weight of its heavyweights.
The common thread was big laughs in places, but too many stars and too little story. The Hindu felt the actors were left stranded.
Welcome to the Jungle: who should watch it
Watch it if you love the first Welcome and want a loud ensemble comedy with friends. Skip it if you need a tight plot. Fans in the UAE get an extra treat in spotting the Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah locations in the songs.
This was Akshay’s second release of 2026 after Bhooth Bangla in April, and he followed it with the thriller Haiwaan in September. No streaming date had been confirmed at the time of writing, so check your streaming apps and UAE cinema listings.
Welcome to the Jungle FAQs
When did Welcome to the Jungle release?
It released worldwide on 26 June 2026, with paid previews on 25 June.
Is Welcome to the Jungle Welcome 3?
Yes. It is the third film in the series after Welcome (2007) and Welcome Back (2015), though it tells a new story.
How much did Welcome to the Jungle earn?
About ₹112 crore worldwide, including ₹95.32 crore in India, according to figures compiled on Wikipedia.
Read our earlier story on the Welcome to the Jungle release date announcement, and find more stories in our Bollywood section.