Akshay Kumar’s Welcome To The Jungle on Track, International Schedule Set to Begin Soon
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Akshay Kumar’s Welcome To The Jungle on Track, International Schedule Set to Begin Soon
Fans have been buzzing with concern about the fate of Akshay Kumar’s much-anticipated film Welcome To The Jungle after its announcement video mysteriously vanished from Jio Studios’ official YouTube channel. Rumors swirled on social media, with many speculating that the film might be shelved. However, the makers have now issued an official statement to clear the air, confirming that the movie is very much on track.
According to the statement, Welcome To The Jungle successfully wrapped up its marathon shooting schedule in Mumbai and Kashmir in August. The film’s international schedule is set to kick off in October, with the production team already preparing for the next leg of filming.
Director Ahmed Khan addressed the rumors, saying, “There is no truth to these rumors. The film is on track, and we are gearing up for the next phase of our marathon schedule internationally in October. My technical team has already left for the first recce.” He added that the film, known for its massive production scale, has already completed 70% of its shooting.
Earlier, speculation was fueled by a Reddit post claiming that, like Hera Pheri 3, the shooting of Welcome 3 (the unofficial name for Welcome To The Jungle) had been halted midway, leading to the removal of the announcement video by Jio Studios. However, these claims have been debunked by the film’s team.
Welcome To The Jungle is the third installment in the beloved Welcome franchise and has been highly anticipated since its announcement in 2023. The film boasts a star-studded cast, including Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Disha Patani, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Jacqueline Fernandez, Paresh Rawal, Arshad Warsi, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Daler Mehndi, Mika Singh, Mukesh Tiwari, Zakir Hussain, Yashpal Sharma, Sayaji Shinde, Jackie Shroff, and Aftab Shivdasani.
However, the project has seen some high-profile exits. Sanjay Dutt left the film due to scheduling conflicts. According to a source quoted by Bollywood Hungama, “Sanjay Dutt cited date issues for his exit and communicated these concerns to his close friend Akshay Kumar, who understood and held no grudges.” Reports suggest that Dutt had already shot for 15 days, leaving the makers in a dilemma about whether to reshoot his scenes or integrate his absence into the storyline.
Nana Patekar, who famously portrayed Uday Shetty in the original Welcome films, also opted out of Welcome 3. He expressed his dissatisfaction with the script, telling The Lallantop, “They approached us, but we declined. There was no story, and it didn’t excite us. If Anil and I are not there, then Welcome isn’t the same. Without both of us, the magic isn’t there.” Patekar also pointed out that the sequel, Welcome Back, didn’t perform well at the box office.
Despite these setbacks, Welcome To The Jungle remains one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year. It marks Akshay Kumar’s return to comedy after a long hiatus and features an ensemble cast of over 30 actors—a rarity in modern Bollywood. The film was initially slated for release on December 20, 2025. However, with the recent rumors and the removal of the announcement video, speculation about a potential delay has arisen. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that there has been no official confirmation of any changes from Jio Studios or the film’s production team.