Welcome (2007 film)

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{{short description|2007 film directed by Anees Bazmee}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Welcome
| image = Welcome_poster_2007.jpg
| alt = The poster features entire ensembled star-cast. The film title appears at top.
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Anees Bazmee]]
| producer = Firoz Nadiadwala
| writer = {{ubl|Anees Bazmee|Rajiv Kaul|Praful Parekh}}
| story = Anees Bazmee
| starring = {{ubl| [[Feroz Khan (actor)|Feroz Khan]]|[[Anil Kapoor]]|[[Nana Patekar]]|[[Akshay Kumar]]|[[Katrina Kaif]]|[[Mallika Sherawat]]|[[Paresh Rawal]]}}
| narrator = [[Om Puri]]
| music = '''Songs & score:''' [[Sajid–Wajid]] '''Composers:''' [[Anand Raj Anand]] [[Himesh Reshammiya]]
| cinematography = Sanjay F. Gupta
| editing = Ashfaque Makrani
| studio = Base Industries Group
| distributors = [[UTV Motion Pictures]] [[Viacom18 Studios|Indian Films]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Indian Film to distribute 'Welcome'|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first=Patrick|last=Frater|date=8 November 2007|access-date=8 February 2022|url=https://variety.com/2007/film/asia/indian-film-to-distribute-welcome-1117975672/}}</ref>
| released = {{Film date|2007|12|21|df=1}}
| runtime = 158 minutes
| country = [[India]]
| language = Hindi
| budget = {{INR}}32 crore<ref name="Welcome">{{cite web|title=Welcome|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/Movies/movie_detail/welcome|website=Box Office India|access-date=27 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101150450/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/Movies/movie_detail/welcome|archive-date=1 November 2015}}</ref>
| gross = {{INR}}122 crore <ref name=gross>{{cite web|title=Top All Time Worldwide Grossers Updated 11/5/2012|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/arounddetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=4409&nCat=|publisher=boxofficeindia|access-date=11 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227115516/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/arounddetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=4409&nCat=|archive-date=27 December 2012}}</ref>
}}

'''''Welcome''''' is an Indian [[List of Bollywood films of 2007|2007]] [[Hindi]]-language [[comedy film]] directed and co-written by [[Anees Bazmee]] with production by Firoz Nadiadwala.<ref name=gross>{{cite web|title=Top All Time Worldwide Grossers Updated 11/5/2012|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/arounddetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=4409&nCat=|publisher=boxofficeindia|access-date=11 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121227115516/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/arounddetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=4409&nCat=|archive-date=27 December 2012}}</ref> The music was composed by [[Anand Raj Anand]] and [[Himesh Reshammiya]], with songs and score by [[Sajid–Wajid]]. ''Welcome'' stars [[Feroz Khan (actor)|Feroz Khan]], [[Anil Kapoor]], [[Nana Patekar]], [[Akshay Kumar]], [[Katrina Kaif]], [[Mallika Sherawat]] and [[Paresh Rawal]] in prominent roles.<ref name="Welcome">{{cite web|title=Welcome|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/Movies/movie_detail/welcome|website=Box Office India|access-date=27 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101150450/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/Movies/movie_detail/welcome|archive-date=1 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=UTV acquires worldwide rights for Welcome|url=http://businessofcinema.com/bollywood-news/utv-acquires-worldwide-rights-for-iwelcomei/19701|publisher=Business of Cinema|author=Rohini Bhandari|date=8 August 2007|access-date=30 August 2012}}</ref> [[Sunil Shetty]] makes a special appearance, while [[Malaika Arora]] was cast in an [[item number]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Malaika Arora does an item number in Welcome|url=http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/news/2007/malaika-arora-item-number-111207.html|publisher=[[Oneindia.in]]|date=12 November 2007|access-date=28 August 2012}}</ref> The film marked the last screen appearance of Khan who died in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bollywood actor Feroz Khan dies|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8019917.stm|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=27 April 2009|access-date=28 August 2012}}</ref> The core storyline is loosely based on the 1999 comedy ''[[Mickey Blue Eyes]]''.

Budgeted at {{INRConvert|320|m}} which includes making and marketing costs, ''Welcome'' was distributed by [[UTV Motion Pictures]].<ref name=welcome2>{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/moviemicro/cast/id/508650|publisher=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|access-date=28 August 2012|title=Welcome Cast & Crew}}</ref> It was theatrically released worldwide on 21 December 2007, coinciding with the [[Christmas]] festival.<ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome V/S Taare Zameen Par|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/more/videos/view/showing/public-opinions/sort/What's%20New/id/1200735|publisher=[[Bollywood Hungama]]|access-date=30 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Taare Zameen Par adds to Christmas sparkle at BO|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2007-12-26/news/27687994_1_taare-zameen-par-tzp-aamir-khan-productions|publisher=[[The Economic Times|Economic Times]]|author=Meenakshi Verma|date=26 December 2007|access-date=30 August 2012}}</ref> The film received mostly mixed to positive reviews from critics and faced clash from [[Aamir Khan]]'s ''[[Taare Zameen Par]]''. Nevertheless, ''Welcome'' went on to become the [[List of Bollywood films of 2007|second highest grossing film of the year]] with global revenues of {{INRConvert|1.22|b}}.<ref>{{cite web|title=Box Office 2007|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=214|publisher=Box Office India|access-date=30 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027185547/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=214 |archive-date=27 October 2011}}</ref> The film is the first installment of the [[Welcome (film series)|''Welcome'' series]] and spawned a sequel, ''[[Welcome Back (film)|Welcome Back]]'' in 2015 that also became a commercial success.<ref>{{cite web|title=WELCOME creates record in US, UK, UAE|url=http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/article/35532.html|publisher=IndiaGlitz|author=Joginder Tuteja|date=27 December 2007|access-date=30 August 2012}}</ref> According to ''[[The Hindu]]'', the film's climax scene is a rip-off from the Charlie Chaplin film, ''[[The Gold Rush]]'' which had been earlier used in the 1990 Tamil film ''[[Michael Madana Kama Rajan]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kamath|first1=Sudish|title=No, thank you! -- Welcome|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/no-thank-you-welcome/article1432671.ece|website=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=27 May 2016|date=4 January 2008}}</ref>

==Plot==
Dr. Dayal Ghungroo lives with his son-like nephew Rajiv Saini, an auctioneer who is his late sister Chitra's son. Don Uday Shetty wants his half-sister Sanjana married, but fails due to his criminal background. Rajiv is smitten by her. Uday and his cousin, Majnu Pandey, want their marriage. But after knowing they are mobsters, Dayal flees to South Africa with his family. Majnu and Sanjana arrive there. She and Rajiv meet again and fall in love.

Uday and Majnu force Dayal to take the alliance, and invite powerful underworld Don RDX. Dayal sends his sister-in-law Ishika for breaking alliance, who succeeds by lying to be Rajiv's childhood betrothed. Dayal reveals that Rajiv's criminal father harassed and tortured Chitra, who told Dayal to make Rajiv away from crime. He says he'll agree only if Uday and Majnu give up their common crime life.

Rajiv and Sanjana do this by reawakening Uday's love for acting and encouraging Majnu's passion for painting. With these things keeping them busy, Uday and Majnu have no time for crime any more.

Rajiv's actions anger Lucky, who attempts to shoot Rajiv. Sanjana gets hold of the gun and fires a shot that hits Lucky, causing him to go unconscious. RDX is informed of Lucky's death and comes to attend the cremation. However Lucky, who is still alive, escapes, trying to show his father that he's actually alive, but fails. RDX sets the pile of wood on fire, believing he is cremating his son's body. However Lucky, who had been hiding under the wood, jumps out upon realizing the wood is on fire, and the truth is revealed to RDX. Rajiv, Dayal, his wife Payal, Ishika, Uday, Majnu, Sanjana, Uday and Majnu's men and Uday's Lawyer are captured by RDX and brought to a cabin set next to a cliff. The frightened group is forced to play ''[[Pass the parcel|Passing the Parcel]]'' (Hot Potato) with a globe {{mdash}} but the one who ends up with the globe must jump off the cliff. When Rajiv refuses to pass the globe to Sanjana, Lucky angrily yanks it out of his hands, just as the music stops. Now that his son has the globe, RDX figures the only way he can maintain his image is by killing everyone. Before he can, several government brokers sneak up and cut the footings of the cabin, causing the house to start falling over the cliff, with everyone trapped inside. However, the cabin is suspended by only one column.

Hilarious chaos ensues as the group tries to balance the cabin together and keep it from falling off the cliff. Amidst this, Majnu tries to remove Lucky's head from a vessel using an axe, by breaking the vessel, during which an angry RDX tries to shoot Majnu, but misses it, causing the bullet to hit a beehive. As the bees sting everyone, Rajiv finds a rope and the group uses it to get back onto stable ground. But to everyone's shock, the floor breaks and Lucky is found hanging on the edge of the cabin. While everyone else is protesting and Rajiv is trying to rescue him, Sanjana reveals the truth to everyone that she was the one who shot Lucky, but Rajiv blamed himself so that Sanjana wouldn't get in trouble. After Rajiv rescues Lucky, the cabin he is standing on falls off into the cliff. Sanjana keeps crying for him thinking he is dead. However, Rajiv survives the event and is reunited with Sanjana and his family. Lucky and RDX are grateful to Rajiv for saving their lives and RDX gives up his life of crime, allowing Rajiv and Sanjana to finally get married. Uday and Majnu too request RDX to get them married to Ishika. However, they realize that Ishika fooled them along with Rajiv, as a part of his plan to marry Sanjana. This angers Uday and Majnu, who decide to catch and kill Rajiv as he escapes along with Sanjana and Ishika, but are unsuccessful.

==Cast==
*[[Feroz Khan (actor)|Feroz Khan]] as Ranvir Dhanraj Xaka "RDX"
*[[Nana Patekar]] as Don Uday Shankar Shetty
*[[Anil Kapoor]] as Sagar 'Majnu' Pandey
*[[Akshay Kumar]] as Rajiv Saini, Sanjana's love interest.
*[[Katrina Kaif]] as Sanjana Shetty, Rajiv's love interest.
*[[Mallika Sherawat]] as Ishika Kanojia
*[[Paresh Rawal]] as Dr. Dayal Ghungroo
*[[Supriya Karnik]] as Niharika "Payal" Ghungroo
*[[Shereveer Vakil]] as Lucky Xaka: RDX's son.
*[[Asrani (actor)|Asrani]] as Akhilendra Chandel
*[[Charlie (actor)|Charlie]] as Nandan Singh
*[[Snehal Dabi]] as Kakhil
*[[Paresh Ganatra]] as Purushottam Bhan, Municipal Officer
*[[Sharad Sankla]] as Aadesh Mehta, Municipal Officer
*[[Adi Irani]] as Harkesh Sahni, Advocate
*[[Mushtaq Khan]] as Balwish Dey alias Ballu
*[[Sanjay Mishra (actor)|Sanjay Mishra]] as Pandit Manilal Shastri
*[[Om Puri]] as Narrator
*[[Vijay Raaz]] as Dhanesh Varman
*[[Ranjeet]] as Rakesh Kapoor
*[[Suniel Shetty]] as himself
*[[Malaika Arora]] in sexy song "Honth Rasiley"

== Soundtrack ==
{{Infobox album
| name = Welcome
| type = soundtrack
| artist = [[Anand Raj Anand]] and [[Himesh Reshammiya]]
| released = {{Start date|df=yes|2007|09|08}} (Digital Release) {{Start date|df=yes|2007|12|14}} (Film)
| genre = [[Feature film soundtrack]]
| length =
| language = [[Hindi]]
| label = [[Times Music|Junglee Music (Times Group)]]
| cover =
| alt =
| recorded = 2007
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title =
| director =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist=[[Anand Raj Anand]]
| type= soundtrack
| prev_title=[[Dus Kahaniyaan]]
| prev_year=2007
| title=Welcome
| year=2007
| next_title=[[Jimmy (2008 film)|Jimmy]]
| next_year=2008
}}
{{Extra chronology
| artist = [[Himesh Reshammiya]]
| type = soundtrack
| prev_title = [[Nanhe Jaisalmer]]
| prev_year = 2007
| title = Welcome
| year = 2007
| next_title = [[My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves (film)|My Name Is Anthony Gonsalves]]
| next_year = 2008
}}}}

The soundtrack was composed by Anand Raj Anand, Himesh Reshammiya and Sajid–Wajid. The lyrics were penned by Anand Raj Anand, [[Sameer (lyricist)|Sameer]], [[Shabbir Ahmed (lyricist)|Shabbir Ahmed]], Ibrahim Ashq and Anjaan Sagiri.<ref name=welcome2/><ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome songs|url=http://www.smashits.com/welcome/songs-6676.html|publisher=Smashits|access-date=2 September 2012}}</ref> According to the Indian trade website [[Box Office India]], with around 15,00,000 units sold, this film's soundtrack album was the year's fifth highest-selling.<ref>{{cite web|title=Music Hits 2000–2009 (Figures in Units)|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=286&catName=MjAwMC0yMDA5|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624132928/http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=286&catName=MjAwMC0yMDA5|archive-date=24 June 2010|publisher=[[Box Office India]]}}</ref>

===Track listing===
{{Tracklist
| extra_column = Singer(s)
| title1 = Honth Rasiley
| extra1 = [[Shankar Mahadevan]], [[Anand Raj Anand]], [[Shreya Ghoshal]]
| music1 = Anand Raj Anand
| lyrics1 = Anand Raj Anand
| length1 = 4:40
| title2 = Insha Allah
| extra2 = [[Krishna Beura]], [[Shaan (singer)|Shaan]], [[Akriti Kakkar]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcjRNNbYEkM | title=Insha Allah: Welcome Movie | Akshay Kumar | Katrina Kaif Wedding Song | Nana Patekar | Anil Kapoor - YouTube | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref>
| music2 = Himesh Reshammiya
| lyrics2 = Sameer
| length2 = 5:38
| title3 = Kiya Kiya
| extra3 = Anand Raj Anand, [[Shweta Pandit]]
| music3 = Anand Raj Anand
| lyrics3 = Anjaan Sagiri
| length3 = 5:02
| title4 = Uncha Lamba Kad
| extra4 = [[Anand Raj Anand]], [[Kalpana Patowary]]
| music4 = Anand Raj Anand
| lyrics4 = Ibrahim Ashq
| length4 = 4:40
| title5 = Welcome
| extra5 = Shaan, [[Sowmya Raoh]], [[Sajid–Wajid|Wajid]]
| music5 = [[Sajid–Wajid]]
| lyrics5 = [[Shabbir Ahmed (lyricist)|Shabbir Ahmed]]
| length5 = 4:18
| title6 = Kola Laka Vellari<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVZvo_AmCUw | title=Kola Laka Vellari: Welcome | Akshay Kumar | Katrina Kaif Hit Song| Anil Kapoor | Himesh Reshammiya - YouTube | website=[[YouTube]] }}</ref>
| extra6 = [[Himesh Reshammiya]]
| music6 = Himesh Reshammiya
| lyrics6 = Sameer
| length6 = 5:38
| title9 =
| length10 =
| title10 =
| length9 =
| all_writing =
| length8 =
| title8 =
| length7 =
| title7 =
| total_length =
}}

==Reception==

=== Box office ===
At the box office, ''Welcome'' opened to a massive response locally, by grossing {{INRConvert|350|m}} on its opening week.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/cpages.php?pageName=first_week_records |title=Top First Week Earners (First 7 days only)|work=BoxOffice India.com|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219184647/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/cpages.php?pageName=first_week_records|archive-date=19 December 2008}}</ref> Despite facing competition from the popular [[Aamir Khan]]-starrer, ''[[Taare Zameen Par]]'' which was also a huge success, ''Welcome'' grossed {{INRConvert|700|m}} domestically.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/boxdetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=45&nCat=box_office_report |title=Welcome Rules At The Box Office |work=BoxOffice India.com|access-date=28 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219164657/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/boxdetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=45&nCat=box_office_report|archive-date=19 February 2008}}</ref> It became the second highest-grossing film of 2007, just behind ''[[Om Shanti Om]]''. The worldwide gross was around {{INRConvert|1.22|b}}.<ref name=gross />

=== Critical response ===
[[Taran Adarsh]] of [[Bollywood Hungama]] gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, and stated "''Welcome'' is one of those entertainers that deliver what it promises: Funny sequences, super performances and loads and loads of laughter. Without doubt, it will be welcomed with open arms by the ''aam junta''!".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hungama|first=Bollywood|title=Welcome Review 4/5 {{!}} Welcome Movie Review {{!}} Welcome 2007 Public Review {{!}} Film Review|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/welcome/critic-review/welcome-movie-review/|access-date=2021-07-01|language=en}}</ref> ''[[The Times of India]]'' gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and stated "Go for end-of-the-year gags and season-of-goodwill giggles."<ref>{{Citation|title=Welcome Movie Review {3/5}: Critic Review of Welcome by Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/welcome/movie-review/2641818.cms|access-date=2021-07-01}}</ref> ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' stated, "Akshay Kumar has a flair for comedy but even that is beginning to bore which is quiet evident in ''Welcome''."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-12-21|title=Review: Welcome|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/movie-reviews/review-welcome/story-iWadJcyPH5N2Khh0KCzzQN.html|access-date=2021-07-01|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> Sukanya Verma of [[Rediff.com]] gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and stated "it's the extraordinary camaraderie between the actors, completely consumed by the foolhardiness that surrounds them, that tickles the bone. And hard."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Welcome packs in a lot of masala|url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/dec/21welcome.htm|access-date=2021-07-01|website=www.rediff.com}}</ref> [[Filmibeat|Filmi Beat]] gave the movie 2 out of 5 stars, and stated "Welcome is a fun ride all the way. The tremendous hype for the film has resulted in a tremendous start at the ticket window and the 5-day weekend as also the lack of biggies in the subsequent weeks will help Welcome reach the 'Smash Hit" status in days to come."<ref>{{Cite web|last=IndiaFM|first=By: Taran Adarsh|date=2007-12-21|title=Welcome Review|url=https://www.filmibeat.com/bollywood/reviews/2007/welcome-review-211207.html|access-date=2021-07-01|website=www.filmibeat.com|language=en}}</ref>

Tajpal Rathore of the [[BBC]] gave the film 3 out 5 stars, and stated "Comedies should always be taken lightly in Bollywood and ''Welcome'' is as zany as they come. And while it emerges as an addition to Kumar's repertoire of films that have little style and even less substance, it is the formidable ensemble cast that ultimately succeed in welcoming you to the theatre hall."<ref>{{Cite web|title=BBC - Movies - review - Welcome|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2007/12/17/welcome_2007_review.shtml|access-date=2021-07-01|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> [[Rajeev Masand]] gave the film 1 out of 5 stars, and stated "Welcome the tortuous comedy."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Review:Welcome the tortuous comedy « Rajeev Masand – movies that matter : from bollywood, hollywood and everywhere else|url=https://rajeevmasand.com/admin/uncategorized/reviewwelcome-the-tortuous-comedy/|access-date=2021-07-01|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Sequel==
A sequel to the film, titled ''[[Welcome Back (film)|Welcome Back]]'', has been released. It features [[John Abraham (actor)|John Abraham]], [[Shruti Haasan]], Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Paresh Rawal. Earlier reported to release on 19 December 2014, the project finally released on 4 September 2015.<ref>{{Cite web | title = John gets pricey, pockets Rs 15 cr for Welcome Back | work = India Today | date = 22 April 2013 | access-date = 2016-05-28 | url = http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/john-gets-pricey-pockets-15-cr-for-welcome-back/1/267066.html}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|0488798|Welcome}}

{{Anees Bazmee}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Welcome (Film)}}
[[Category:Indian films]]
[[Category:2007 films]]
[[Category:2000s Hindi-language films]]
[[Category:2007 romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:Films set in Dubai]]
[[Category:Films shot in Dubai]]
[[Category:Films featuring an item number]]
[[Category:Films scored by Sajid–Wajid]]
[[Category:Films scored by Anand Raj Anand]]
[[Category:Films scored by Himesh Reshammiya]]
[[Category:Indian romantic comedy films]]
[[Category:Films directed by Anees Bazmee]]

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Welcome (2007 film)