Ahmed Khan has rounded up a huge ensemble cast for his upcoming adventure comedy Welcome to the Jungle, perhaps the biggest in recent memory. However, two actors who have been a crucial part of the first two instalments of the Welcome franchise — Anil Kapoor aka Majnu and Nana Patekar aka Uday — aren’t a part of the threequel.
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“Why is that a problem? I didn’t make Baaghi 4, someone else (A Harsha) did. I’m making Welcome 3, and Anees Bazmee (director of Welcome and Welcome Back) made Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3. The first one was directed by Priyadarshan,” says Ahmed on the inaugural edition of SCREEN Spotlight.
He feels that the change in cast and director only brings freshness to the franchise. “Akshay (Kumar) was in Welcome (2007), John (Abraham) was in Welcome Back (2015). Akshay was in Bhool Bhulaiyaa; now, Kartik (Aaryan) is in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3. Siddharth Anand made War (2019), Ayan Mukerji made War 2,” added Ahmed.Story continues below this ad
“You can only stretch something to an extent. After that, it snaps. Every film has its limits, but a franchise doesn’t. There were so many Khiladi movies that came out, but no Khiladi had to do anything with the other Khiladis. Similarly, in Welcome, John replaced Akshay in the sequel so the link in the story was cut right there. Now, Akshay is back again. So, it’s Welcome, but with an even bigger cast,” Ahmed Khan argued.
Having been a choreographer on the first instalment, Ahmed has also attempted to reinvent the aesthetic of the Welcome franchise with a threequel that’s designed as an adventure comedy. “Welcome had black suits, buildings, and girls in shimmery clothes. What we’ve done is get them into army fatigues. We’ve completely changed the terrain and concept into army style. Otherwise, they’d keep singing the same tune in the same suits. So, we’ve to give the audience something new,” added Ahmed.
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He also claims that Welcome to the Jungle is not slapstick comedy. “If you mute the film, you’ll see they’re talking very seriously, with guns in their hands. But if you dial up the volume, you’ll think, ‘What are these idiots doing?’ They’re talking rubbish to each other, but with poker faces. So, that’s what this Welcome is about,” said Ahmed.
In an exclusive interview with SCREEN earlier this year, Anees Bazmee had opened up on Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar walking out of Welcome to the Jungle. “It’s very, very fortunate that Anil and Nana aren’t there in Welcome 3. Without them, it’s a tough, tough task. I wouldn’t have made a Welcome without them. But I have a different equation with them. If I was directing it, I would’ve made sure they’re a part of the film, by hook or by crook,” he said.
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