MaryjoM897: put up initial data added tags - done

2026-04-22T13:31:45Z

put up initial data added tags - done

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{{Short description|Indian comedy film series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Welcome
| director = {{ubl
| [[Anees Bazmee]] (''Welcome'', ''Welcome Back''
| [[Ahmed Khan (choreographer)|Ahmed Khan]] (''Welcome to the Jungle'')
}}
| producer = Firoz Nadiadwala
| writer =
| screenplay = {{ubl
| Anees Bazmee
| Rajiv Kaul
| Praful Parekh
| Rajan Aggarwal
| (''Welcome Back'')
}}
| story = {{ubl | Anees Bazmee | Rajiv Kaul}}
| starring = {{ubl|[[Akshay Kumar]]|[[Suniel Shetty]]|[[John Abraham]]|[[Anil Kapoor]]|[[Paresh Rawal]]|[[Nana Patekar]]}}
| music = {{ubl
| [[Anand Raaj Anand]] , [[Himesh Reshammiya]] (''Welcome'')
| [[Aadesh Shrivastava]] (''Welcome Back'')
}}
| cinematography = {{ubl
| Sanjay Gupta (''Welcome'')
| Kabir Lal (''Welcome Back'')
}}
| editing = {{ubl
| Ashfaque Makrani (''Welcome'')
| Stevan Bernard (''Welcome Back'')
}}
| studio = {{ubl
| [[Jio Studios]]
| Base Industries Group (''[[Welcome to the Jungle]]'')
}}
| distributor = {{ubl
| [[UTV Motion Pictures]] (''Welcome'')
| [[Eros International]] (''Welcome Back'')
}}
| released = {{Film date|df=yes|2007|12|21|''[[Welcome (2007 film)|1]]''|2015|09|04|''[[Welcome Back (film)|2]]''|2026|06|26|''[[Welcome to the Jungle (film)|3]]''}}
| country = India
| language = Hindi
| budget =
| gross = {{ubl | {{INRConvert|285|c}} | (Two films)}}
}}

'''''Welcome''''' is an Indian [[comedy film]] series, produced by Firoz Nadiadwala and directed by [[Anees Bazmee]]. The first film ''[[Welcome (2007 film)|Welcome]]''<ref name=welcome1>{{cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/dec/21welcome.htm|work=[[Rediff.com]]|author=Sukanya Verma|date=21 December 2007|accessdate=30 August 2012|title=Welcome packs in a lot of masala}}</ref> was released on 21 December 2007 and the second film, ''[[Welcome Back (film)|Welcome Back]]'',<ref name="toi">{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Welcome-Back-has-twice-the-extravagance-and-laughter-of-its-earlier-part/articleshow/48759449.cms|title='Welcome Back' has twice the extravagance and laughter of its earlier part|work=The Times of India|accessdate=7 September 2015}}</ref> was released on 4 September 2015. A third part, titled ''[[Welcome to the Jungle (film)|Welcome to the Jungle]]'' is in production and is scheduled to be released on 26 June 2026.<ref name="WttJ release">{{Cite news |title=Akshay Kumar's Welcome To The Jungle To Release On June 26 |url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/akshay-kumars-welcome-to-the-jungle-to-release-on-june-26-10893550 |date=27 January 2026 |access-date=1 February 2026 |work=[[NDTV]]}}</ref>

==Overview==

===''Welcome'' (2007)===
{{main| Welcome (2007 film)}}

Uday, a criminal don, decides to find a husband for his kind-hearted sister Sanjana, but he is unsuccessful since no one wants to be associated with a crime family. Dr. Ghunghroo has also been trying to get his nephew, Rajiv, married but due to his condition—the alliance must be with a purely decent family—he is also unsuccessful.

When Rajiv jumps into a burning building to save Sanjana, he is smitten by her. Uday and Majnu, Uday's brother gangster hatch a plan for an alliance with Dr. Ghunghroo. The plan works and Dr. Ghunghroo confirms the alliance, thinking that Uday is a very decent man. But when he is later told that Uday and Majnu are mobsters, he quickly takes his family and flees to Sun City, South Africa to escape. However, Majnu and Sanjana have come to Sun City as well. Rajiv meets Sanjana again and the two fall in love.

Dr. Ghunghroo reconciles with Uday and Majnu and finally agrees to the alliance. Uday and Majnu invite a powerful don of the underworld, RDX to the engagement. At the party, a girl named Ishika arrives, claiming to be Rajiv's childhood betrothed. Ishika is actually the sister-in-law of Dr.Ghunghroo whom Dr. Ghunghroo asked to come and try to break off the engagement. Ishika manages to do so, leaving Rajiv and Sanjana heartbroken. Dr. Ghunghroo reveals that he did this for Rajiv's mother, who had married into a crime family and was harassed and tortured, thus telling Dr. Ghunghroo to raise Rajiv away from crime when he was born. Dr. Ghunghroo decides he will agree to the marriage only if Uday and Majnu give up their life of crime. Rajiv and Sanjana do this by reawakening Uday's love for acting and encouraging Majnu to pursue his love for painting. With these things keeping them busy, Uday and Majnu have no time for crime any more.

Rajiv's actions anger RDX's son, 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 his son'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. 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 realising the wood is on fire, and the truth is revealed to RDX. Rajiv, Ghunghroo, his wife, Ishika, Uday, Majnu and Sanjana are captured by RDX and brought to a cabin set next to a cliff. The frightened group is forced to play ''Passing the Parcel'' (Hot Potato) with a globe—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. 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 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.

===''Welcome Back'' (2015)===
{{Main|Welcome Back (film)}}
Uday Shetty and Majnu Bhai end a life of crime and become honest businessmen, settling in [[Dubai]]. Two conwomen from India, Poonam and Babita (Ankita Shrivastava), present themselves as Maharani Padmavati and Rajkumari Chandini of [[Najafgarh]] to con Uday and Majnu of their money. Babita causes the two men to fall in love with her, thus getting them to finance herself and Poonam's luxurious lifestyle. Later, it is revealed that Uday has another sister Ranjana from his father's third marriage and Majnu and Uday are emotionally blackmailed by Uday's father into arranging the marriage of Ranjana and are also forced to do so as Poonam makes that one of her conditions for getting Babita married to either one of them.

The movie then shifts to Dr. Ghunguroo, who has found out that he has a step son from his wife's previous marriage, Ajju a.k.a. Ajay. Ajju is a local goon of [[Mumbai]], where Ranjana studies. Through a chain of hilarious events, they both fall in love with each other. Meanwhile, Majnu and Uday arrange the marriage of Ranjana with the step-son of Doctor Ghunguroo, not knowing that he is a goon. However, at the engagement ceremony, Majnu reveals the truth of Ajju, to which Ajju resists with a fight, threatening to marry Ranjana without any of the brothers' consent.

In order to keep Ajju at bay, Uday and Majnu visit Wanted Bhai, who is an infamous blind don. The brothers are shocked to find that Wanted's son Honey likes Ranjana and would like to marry her. They decide to arrange the marriage of Ranjana to some other decent man, in order to sidestep Ajju as well as Wanted's son. However, due to Ajju and Dr. Ghunguroo, who are in league with Babita and Poonam, they are caught by Wanted Bhai, who summons them to his island.

There, Ajju and Dr. Ghunguroo try to convince Honey that he no longer loves Ranjana and that Babita is his true love. Meanwhile, Uday and Majnu try to kill Ajju, but are frightened at the graveyard in a ghost act planned by Dr. Ghunguroo, Ajju and Ranjana. Unbeknownst to all of them, their activities have been recorded by closed-circuit television, causing Wanted Bhai and Honey to plan to finish them off. However, in a hilarious climax scene, Honey is kidnapped by all of them and they escape towards the desert where they are chased by Wanted Bhai. In the midst of saving himself, Dr. Ghunguroo pushes Wanted Bhai, causing him to faint. Meanwhile, a group of camels heavily march there. Ajju is successful in saving Wanted Bhai from the stampede of camels, and restoring his sight. Wanted Bhai himself, as a form of gratitude, arranges the marriage of Ajju with Ranjana, calling Ajju his 'second son'.

=== ''Welcome to the Jungle'' (2026)===
''Welcome to the Jungle'' was originally scheduled for a release date of 26 December 2025.<ref>{{Cite news |last=ANI |date=2023-08-17 |title='Welcome 3' to release on Christmas 2024, new title revealed|work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/welcome-3-to-release-on-christmas-2024-new-title-revealed/article67204668.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817073541/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/welcome-3-to-release-on-christmas-2024-new-title-revealed/article67204668.ece |archive-date=17 August 2023}}</ref>

The announced cast consisted of [[Akshay Kumar]], [[Suniel Shetty]], [[Paresh Rawal]], [[Johnny Lever]], [[Rajpal Yadav]], [[Arshad Warsi]], [[Tusshar Kapoor]], [[Shreyas Talpade]], [[Aftab Shivdasani]], [[Jackie Shroff]], [[Daler Mehndi]], [[Mika Singh]], [[Raveena Tandon]], [[Lara Dutta]], [[Jacqueline Fernandez]], and [[Disha Patani]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-09-09 |title=Welcome 3: Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi's 'Welcome to the Jungle' release date out |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/welcome-3-akshay-kumar-sanjay-dutt-arshad-warsis-welcome-to-the-jungle-release-date-out/articleshow/103536759.cms?from=mdr |access-date=2024-01-02 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

The first schedule of the shoot was completed in May 2024. As more schedules were planned, and with VFX work in post-production expected, the release date was pushed to 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Why Akshay Kumar’s 'Welcome to the Jungle' release got delayed to 2025 |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/why-akshay-kumars-welcome-to-the-jungle-release-got-delayed-to-2025-article-12750166.html |date=17 June 2024 |access-date=24 September 2024 |author=Aiyana Bhatia |website=moneycontrol.com}}</ref>

In August 2024, director [[Ahmed Khan (choreographer)|Ahmed Khan]] said that 70% of the shoot was complete, and the international shoot schedule in UAE was planned for October.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/akshay-kumars-welcome-to-the-jungle-delayed-heres-what-we-know-2587508-2024-08-25?utm_source=global-search&utm_medium=global-search&utm_campaign=global-search |title=Akshay Kumar's 'Welcome to the Jungle' makers dismiss rumours of film's delay |author1=Trisha Bhattacharya |author2=Sana Farzeen |author3=Bhavna Agarwal |website=indiatoday.in |date=25 August 2024}}</ref>

{{As of|January 2026}}, the release is now scheduled for 26 June 2026.<ref name="WttJ release" />

==Cast and characters==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" width="75%"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Character
! colspan="3" scope="col" | Film
|-
! scope="col" | {{ubl | ''[[Welcome (2007 film)|Welcome]]'' | (2007)}}
! scope="col" | {{ubl | ''[[Welcome Back (film)|Welcome Back]]'' | (2015)}}
! scope="col" | {{ubl | ''Welcome to the Jungle''| (2026)}}
|-
! scope="row" | Rajiv Saini
| scope="row" |[[Akshay Kumar]]
| colspan="1" scope="row" | Akshay Kumar {{small|(archive footage)}}
| colspan="1" scope="row" | Akshay Kumar
|-
! scope="row" | Dr. Dayal Ghunghroo
| colspan="3" | [[Paresh Rawal]]
|-
! scope="row" | Sanjana Shetty
| [[Katrina Kaif]]
| {{br list | Katrina Kaif | {{small|(archive footage)}}}}
|
|-
! scope="row" | Sagar "Majnu Bhai" Pandey
| colspan="2" | [[Anil Kapoor]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Uday Shetty "Uday Bhai"
| colspan="2" | [[Nana Patekar]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Mrs. Payal Ghunghroo
| colspan="2" | [[Supriya Karnik]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Uday Shetty’s lawyer
| colspan="2" | [[Adi Irani]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Uday Shetty’s bodyguard
| colspan="2" | Harry Josh
|
|-
! scope="row" | Majnu's goon
| colspan="2" | [[Snehal Dabi]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Baljeet "Ballu" Rawat
| colspan="2" | [[Mushtaq Khan]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Mr. Rakesh Kapoor / Vikrant Kapoor / Amar Kapoor
| colspan="2" | [[Ranjeet]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | {{br list | Ranvir Dhanraj Xaka | {{small|RDX}}}}
| [[Feroz Khan (actor)|Feroz Khan]]
| {{br list | Feroz Khan | {{small|(archive footage)}}}}
|
|-
! scope="row" | Ishika Kanojia
| [[Mallika Sherawat]]
| colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|
|-
! scope="row" | Lucky Xaka
| [[Shereveer Vakil]]
| colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|
|-
! scope="row" | Purushottam
| [[Paresh Ganatra]]
| colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|
|-
! scope="row" | Municipal worker
| [[Charlie (actor)|Charlie]]
| colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|
|-
! scope="row" | Pandit Manilal Shastri
| [[Sanjay Mishra (actor)|Sanjay Mishra]]
| colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|
|-
! scope="row" | Dhanesh Varman
| [[Vijay Raaz]]
| colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|
|-
! scope="row" | Akhilendra Chandel
| [[Asrani]]
| colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|
|-
! scope="row" | Ajay Barsi "Ajju Bhai"
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
| [[John Abraham]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Ranjana Shetty
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
| [[Shruti Hassan]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Shankar Shetty
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
| Nana Patekar
|
|-
! scope="row" | Poonam / Maharani Padmavati
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
| [[Dimple Kapadia]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Babita / Rajkumari Chandini
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
| Ankita Shrivastav
|
|-
! scope="row" | Mansoor Sharif (Wanted Bhai)
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
| [[Naseeruddin Shah]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Honey Sharif
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
| [[Shiney Ahuja]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Baadshah Bhai
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
| [[Neeraj Vora]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Tailor
| [[Rajpal Yadav]]
| style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|
|}

'''Special appearances and narrators'''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" width="75%"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Character
! scope="col" colspan="2" | Film
|-
! scope="col" | {{ubl | ''[[Welcome (2007 film)|Welcome]]'' | (2007)}}
! scope="col" | {{ubl | ''[[Welcome Back (film)|Welcome Back]]'' | (2015)}}
|-
! scope="row" | Narrator
| colspan="1" | [[Om Puri]]
| colspan="1" | [[Vijay Raaz]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[Suneil Shetty|Suniel Shetty]]
| Himself
| colspan="1" style="background:#d3d3d3;"|
|-
! scope="row" | {{br list | Special appearance | in songs}}
| {{br list | [[Malaika Arora]] | {{small|(in "Honth Rasiley")}}}}
| {{br list | Radhika Bangia | {{small|(in "20-20")}} | Sakshi Maggo | {{small|(in "20-20")}} | [[Lauren Gottlieb]] | {{small|(in "20-20")}} | Reema Debnath | {{small|(in "20-20")}} | [[Surveen Chawla]] | {{small|(in "Tutti Bole Wedding Di")}} | Snigdha Gupta Mehta | {{small|(in "Tutti Bole Wedding Di")}}}}
|}

==Crew==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" width="50%"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Occupation
! colspan="3" scope="col" | Film
|-
! scope="col" style="width:35%;"| {{br list | ''[[Welcome (2007 film)|Welcome]]'' | (2007)}}
! scope="col" style="width:35%;"| {{br list | ''[[Welcome Back (film)|Welcome Back]]'' | (2015)}}
! scope="col" style="width:30%;" | {{br list | ''Welcome to the Jungle'' | (2026)}}
|-
! scope="row" | Director
| colspan="2" | [[Anees Bazmee]]
|[[Ahmed Khan (choreographer)|Ahmed Khan]]
|-
! scope="row" | Producer(s)
| colspan="3" | Firoz A. Nadiadwala
|-
! scope="row" | Screenplay
| [[Anees Bazmee]], Rajiv Kaul, Praful Parekh
| [[Anees Bazmee]], Rajiv Kaul, Rajan Aggarwal, Praful Parekh
|
|-
! scope="row" | Story
| colspan="2" | [[Anees Bazmee]], Rajiv Kaul
|
|-
! scope="row" | Cinematography
| Sanjay F. Gupta
| Kabir Lal
|
|-
! scope="row" | Editor
| Ashfaque Makrani
| Steven Bernard
|
|-
! scope="row" | Composer(s)
| [[Anand Raj Anand]], [[Himesh Reshammiya]], [[Sajid–Wajid]]
| [[Meet Bros| Meet Bros. Anjjan]], [[Anu Malik]], [[Abhishek Ray]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | Background score
| [[Sajid–Wajid]]
| [[Aadesh Shrivastava]]
|
|}

==Release and reception==
{{hatnote|Each film is linked to the "Box office" section of its article.}}
<big>'''Box office'''</big>
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | Film
! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | Release date
! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | Budget
! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | Box office revenue
|-
| ''[[Welcome (2007 film)#Box office|Welcome]]'' || 21 December 2007 || {{INRConvert|32|c}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/Movies/movie_detail/welcome |title=Boxoffice |access-date=22 August 2016 |archive-date=1 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101150450/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/Movies/movie_detail/welcome |url-status=dead }}</ref> || {{INRConvert|117|c}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/arounddetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=4409&nCat= |title=Top All Time Worldwide Grossers Updated 11/5/2012 |website=BoxOfficeIndia.com |access-date=22 August 2016 |archive-date=5 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105215110/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/arounddetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=4409&nCat= |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| ''[[Welcome Back (film)#Box office|Welcome Back]]'' || 4 September 2015 || N/A || {{INRConvert|167.37|c}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/box-office-special-features/box-office-worldwide-collections-of-welcome-back/|title=Box Office: Worldwide Collections of Welcome Back :Bollywood Box Office - Bollywood Hungama|first=Bollywood|last=Hungama|website=[[Bollywood Hungama]] |date=5 September 2015}}</ref>
|-
|''Welcome to the Jungle''
|26 June 2026<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-01-27 |title=Welcome to the Jungle release date out: Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty-led star-studded comedy set to arrive this summer |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/welcome-to-the-jungle-release-date-out-akshay-kumar-suniel-shetty-led-star-studded-comedy-set-to-arrive-this-summer-101769503181816.html |access-date=2026-02-14 |website=[[Hindustan Times]] |language=en}}</ref>
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | Total
| {{INRConvert|1.3|b}}
| {{INRConvert|2.85|b}}
|}
<big>'''Critical reception'''</big>
{{hatnote|Each film is linked to the "Critical response" section of its article.}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Film
![[Rotten Tomatoes]]
|-
|[[Welcome (2007 film)#Critical response|''Welcome'']]
|N/A (1 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10009220-welcome |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|[[Welcome Back (film)#Critical reception|''Welcome Back'']]
|40% (4.3/10 average rating) (10 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome Back (2015) {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/welcome_back_2015 |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref>
|}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|qid=Q4018810|id=tt0488798|title=Welcome}}
* {{IMDb title|qid=Q16255287|id=tt3159708|title=Welcome Back}}

[[Category:Indian film series]]
[[Category:Action film series]]
[[Category:Comedy film series]]

Welcome (film series) - Revision history

MaryjoM897: put up initial data added tags - done