Akshay Kumar gives major hint on Welcome 4 with Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor. Welcome to the Jungle also included a special tribute to both the actor’s beloved characters — Uday and Majnu.
Published: June 27, 2026, 8:14 AM IST
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Akshay Kumar, Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor (PC -Instagram)
Back in 2007, director Anees Bazmee brought together Akshay Kumar, Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor and Paresh Rawal in Welcome – a comedy that went on to become one of Bollywood’s most loved family entertainers. Over the years, the film turned into a successful franchise and now returns with its third instalment, Welcome to the Jungle, which released in theatres on June 26. For many fans, the soul of the Welcome franchise has always been the iconic chemistry between Akshay Kumar, Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor and Paresh Rawal. While Akshay was missing from Welcome Back (2015), audiences had long hoped to see the original gang reunite again.
Welcome 4 Update:
Now, with Akshay returning to the franchise in Welcome to the Jungle, fans were surprised to see Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor missing from the cast. Addressing the same in a recent conversation with director Ahmed Khan, Akshay shared that the Welcome franchise continues to feel like one big family and hinted that the original cast could reunite in the future. Speaking about the possibility of another sequel, Akshay told Times of India, “Welcome is a full family. This is Nana, Mr Anil, me and all the people. This is like family. If Welcome 4 is ever made, you will find all of them (in it).”
Director Ahmed Khan also revealed that despite not being part of the film, both Nana and Anil remained connected throughout the shoot. According to him, Nana Patekar regularly called to ask about the progress of the film and even asked when he would get to watch it. Ahmed also shared that Anil Kapoor stayed in touch and expressed interest in collaborating again in the future. Khan said, “We talked all the time. We used to call during the shoot (of the film). Nana had just called and asked, ‘How is it going? When will you show (the film) it to me? Tell Akshay that I am not available’. They keep calling and they talk. Anil sir called and said, ‘How is it going? And next time we will plan something’.”
Interestingly, Welcome to the Jungle includes a special tribute to Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor’s beloved characters — Uday and Majnu. In the film, Suniel Shetty and Arshad Warsi’s characters are introduced as their cousins, giving fans a nostalgic nod to the franchise’s iconic duo.
About Welcome To The Jungle:
Welcome To The Jungle theatrically released on June 26, 2026. It centers on a corrupt billionaire who attempts to launder money by intentionally producing a massive box office flop, assembling a hilariously incompetent crew that includes a faded superstar, a nearly blind cinematographer, and two rogue gangsters who muscle their way into the cast. The scheme descends into absolute chaos when an unexpected tax raid forces them to shoot the entire patriotic action film in a single day within a volatile border jungle. Dressed in military costumes, the clueless actors are mistaken by locals for the actual Indian Army, forcing them into a real-life showdown with a brutal terrorist syndicate where the crew mistakenly believes the live gunfire and death-defying combat are just high-concept special effects.
