Fans of the hilarious Welcome franchise were eagerly anticipating the return of the iconic duo, Uday Shetty (Nana Patekar) and Majnu Bhai (Anil Kapoor), in the upcoming Welcome 3 movie titled Welcome to the Jungle. However, recent news revealed that Patekar and Kapoor declined to participate in the film, leaving many disappointed.
Welcome to the Jungle: Nana Patekar reveals why he and Anil Kapoor opted out of third installment: “Kahani nahi hai. Utna maza nahi aaya”
Nana Patekar, in an interview with The Lallantop, shed light on his decision. The veteran actor bluntly stated, “They did approach us. We said no. Kahani nahi hai. Utna maza nahi aaya (There’s no story. We didn’t enjoy it as much).”
Further explaining his close association with the franchise and his co-star, Patekar revealed his initial hesitation about playing Uday Bhai. He said he even made director Anees Bazmee swear on his mother that the role would suit him. However, for Patekar, the essence of Welcome lay in the camaraderie between Uday Bhai and Majnu Bhai. “But it wouldn’t have been complete if Anil and I weren’t doing it together. If Anil and I are there, then only Welcome is possible. If you remove me, then he alone can’t make Welcome and vice-versa,” he emphasized.
Nana Patekar also mentioned the underwhelming performance of the sequel, Welcome Back, at the box office, hinting at a potential reason for his reservations. While the first film, released in 2007, became a cult classic, the 2015 sequel failed to capture the same magic.
Welcome to the Jungle remains a highly anticipated project. It marks Akshay Kumar’s return to the comedy genre after a long hiatus and boasts a massive cast exceeding 30 actors – including Arshad Warsi, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Krushna Abhishek, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Raveena Tandon, and Lara Dutta among others.
The film is scheduled for December 20, 2025 release.
ALSO READ: Tanushree Dutta levels new allegations against Nana Patekar, accuses him of criminal intimidation: “Freak accidents and several attempts to poison me with various substances ensued relentlessly”
More Pages: Welcome To The Jungle Box Office Collection
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