Welcome To The Jungle has finally arrived in cinemas with huge expectations. Early trends suggest a promising start, but can the comedy entertainer outperform Akshay Kumar’s recent Bhoot Bangla on its opening day?
Published: June 26, 2026, 8:42 PM IST
Share Article
https://www.india.com/entertainment/welcome-to-the-jungle-box-office-prediction-day-1-can-akshay-kumars-multi-starrer-beat-priyadarshans-bhooth-bangla-opening-day-collection-8458428/
Welcome to the Jungle (PC: IMDb)
Welcome To The Jungle has finally hit the big screen with a star-studded cast, plenty of comedy, chaos, and the pressure of living up to one of Bollywood’s most-loved comedy series. With Akshay Kumar returning to the franchise alongside a star-studded cast, trade experts have been closely watching the film’s advance bookings and opening-day response. The trailer generated strong interest, while nostalgia for the original films has helped create plenty of buzz ahead of release.
However, expectations also come with challenges. The absence of Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor, who played the iconic Uday Shetty and Majnu Bhai, has been one of the biggest talking points among fans. At the same time, the film faces the task of proving that its fresh cast and new storyline can recreate the magic of the earlier installments. As the first-day numbers begin to emerge, all eyes are on whether Welcome To The Jungle can register a solid opening at the box office or not?
How is Welcome To The Jungle performing on its opening day?
Welcome To The Jungle has opened to encouraging occupancy across major cities, particularly in multiplexes. Morning shows witnessed a decent response, while afternoon and evening bookings increased. As per live estimates by Sacnilk, the film has collected Rs 11.52 crore net on Day 1 so far and paid preview earned up to Rs 3.75 crore. It is currently playing across 9,424 shows, taking its India net collection to Rs 15.27 crore.
The overall occupancy is 22.23%. It varies across the day: 11.00% in the morning, 26.85% in the afternoon, and 28.85% in the evening. Trade analysts believe positive word of mouth will play a crucial role in determining whether collections grow through the evening and over the weekend.
Welcome To The Jungle box office prediction day 1
The official opening-day collection will only be confirmed after theatres report their final figures. Based on current occupancy trends and advance bookings, trade estimates suggest that Welcome To The Jungle could earn around Rs 18 crore to Rs 22 crore (India net) on its first day. If evening and night shows perform better than expected, the film could even finish at the higher end of these estimates.
Welcome To The Jungle (PC: IMDb)
Can Welcome To The Jungle beat Bhoot Bangla?
One of the biggest comparisons being made is with Akshay Kumar’s recent release, Bhoot Bangla. That film benefited from strong curiosity and enjoyed a healthy opening before continuing its theatrical run. If Welcome To The Jungle finishes within the predicted Rs 18–22 crore range, it will have a realistic chance of surpassing Bhoot Bangla’s opening-day performance which is Rs 14.70 crore, depending on the latter’s final recorded Day 1 figures.
The comedy franchise also enjoys wider family appeal, which could work in its favour during the weekend. However, sustained collections will depend more on audience satisfaction after the first show.
