Akshay Kumar's Welcome To The Jungle trailer drops, Internet misses Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor

The makers of Welcome To The Jungle, also known as Welcome 3, have unveiled the much-awaited trailer of the comedy entertainer, bringing back Akshay Kumar to the franchise nearly two decades after the original film's release.

Packed with slapstick humour, action sequences, self-referential jokes and an enormous ensemble cast, the trailer offers a glimpse into a chaotic adventure set against the backdrop of a film shoot. However, while the preview has generated excitement among fans, it has also sparked debate online, with many viewers drawing comparisons to the earlier Welcome films.

A Film Within A Film

The trailer begins with Paresh Rawal stepping into the shoes of a director who is making a movie titled Welcome To The Jungle.

What follows is a rapid-fire introduction to the film's sprawling cast, which includes Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Raveena Tandon, Jacqueline Fernandez, Disha Patani, Lara Dutta, Farida Jalal, Arshad Warsi, Yashpal Sharma, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav and several others.

Akshay Kumar's character is introduced towards the end as a once-successful actor who is now labelled a "flop" hero, setting the tone for the film's self-aware humour.

Nostalgia Meets Jungle Chaos

One of the trailer's biggest talking points is its attempt to carry forward the legacy of Anees Bazmee's 2007 hit Welcome.

Suniel Shetty and Arshad Warsi are introduced as the brothers of Uday Shetty and Majnu, the iconic characters originally played by Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor.

The trailer also revives the famous "Majnu Bhai ki painting", albeit with a fresh twist.

Lara Dutta appears as an army trainer, while the cast is shown taking part in action-heavy sequences amid explosions and jungle adventures.

The teaser also includes several tongue-in-cheek moments.

When Raveena Tandon appears on screen, Disha Patani says, "Yeh toh humein kha jaayegi."

Rajpal Yadav immediately responds, "Arey vo puraani chawal hai."

In another scene, Jacqueline Fernandez asks, "Why am I in the film?"

To which Yashpal Sharma replies with a single-word answer: “Glamour.”

Akshay Kumar Takes A Dig At Himself

Among the most discussed moments in the trailer is a scene featuring Jackie Shroff's villainous character.

"I have seen your face somewhere," Jackie Shroff tells Akshay Kumar.

The actor responds with a joke aimed at his own recent box-office record.

“You watch flop films as well?”

The self-deprecating remark quickly became one of the trailer's standout moments online.

The trailer also features singer Daler Mehndi, who adds to the film's over-the-top comedic energy with a series of humorous puns.

Towards the end, the male leads are seen performing elaborate action sequences amid blasts and large-scale set pieces.

Internet Divided Over The Trailer

Soon after the trailer was released, social media users began sharing their reactions, with opinions ranging from excitement to disappointment.

One user wrote, "Welcome without NANA AND ANIL KAPOOR is as good as Shit."

Another commented, "Welcome to the Jungle? More like Welcome to the Group Project where nobody knows what's going on."

A user named Bitter Reviewer wrote on X that the trailer "feels like a film stuck in a different era of Bollywood comedy" and criticised its length, humour and editing.

"The original Welcome films worked because they had memorable writing, iconic characters and perfect comic timing. This trailer, unfortunately, looks more like a crowded sketch show than a proper sequel," the user wrote.

Another viewer echoed a similar sentiment, saying, "Good or bad film doesn't matter ........but nana patekar and anil kapoor charm surely missing in this."

Some viewers also drew comparisons to Hollywood films.

"Straight copied from Tropic Thunder, with Indian colors. I'll miss Tom Cruise, though," one user wrote.

Release Date

Directed by Ahmed Khan and produced by Firoz A Nadiadwala under the Base Industries Group banner, Welcome To The Jungle stars Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawal, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Jacqueline Fernandez, Disha Patani, Tusshar Kapoor, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda and several others.

The film is scheduled to hit theatres on June 26.