Suniel Shetty admits box office fear never fades, calls Welcome to the Jungle's "massive star cast" its biggest strength
Mumbai, June 17
Actor Suniel Shetty may have more than 100 films to his credit, but he says the nervousness before a release has never disappeared.
As he gears up for the release of his upcoming comedy caper Welcome to the Jungle, the actor admitted that the uncertainty surrounding a film's box office performance still brings a mix of excitement, anxiety, and nervous anticipation, even after decades in the industry.
Speaking about whether he still worries about a film's fate, Shetty said there is always a sense of anticipation because success in cinema is closely linked to audience response.
Describing the emotional rollercoaster that comes with every Friday release, he said there is always "excitement, anxiety" and nervousness surrounding a new project.
"Yes, absolutely. Everything is connected to it. A film's success is tied to its box office performance. One Friday you may be on top, and the next Friday you may not. So yes, there's always excitement, anxiety, tension, and nervous anticipation," Shetty told ANI.
However, the actor believes 'Welcome to the Jungle' enjoys a major advantage in the form of its star-studded cast. Highlighting the film's "incredible ensemble" of actors, he said working alongside performers such as Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Johny Lever, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, and Shreyas Talpade provides a certain level of confidence.
"That said, this film has an incredible ensemble cast: Akshay, Paresh ji, Johnny bhai, Arshad, Tusshar, Shreyas, Daler paaji, and many others. There's a certain safety net that comes with having such talented people together," he said.
"The film is truly very entertaining. I can't say whether it's good or bad because everyone's perspective is different. When we watch the film, we enjoy it immensely. But when the audience watches it on Friday, their perspective can be completely different," he added.
The maker recently unveiled the over four-minute trailer of 'Welcome to the Jungle,' which places Akshay Kumar at the centre of a chaotic adventure. The story follows a group on a mission to track down a once-famous actor whose career has suffered after a string of flops.
Directed by Ahmed Khan, 'Welcome To The Jungle' boasts one of the largest ensemble casts seen in a Bollywood comedy in recent years.Apart from Akshay and Suniel Shetty, the film also stars Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Jackie Shroff, Paresh Rawal, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Farida Jalal, Johny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Rajpal Yadav, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Daler Mehndi, Aftab Shivdasani, Mukesh Tiwari, Yashpal Sharma, Kiran Kumar, Zakir Hussain, Vindu Dara Singh, Urvashi Rautela, Hemant Pandey, Brijendra Kala, Feroze Khan, Puneet Issar, Sudesh Berry, Jeetu Verma, Vrihi Kodvara, Adityaa Singgh and Bhagya Bhanushali, among others.
The film is presented by A.A. Nadiadwala, Cape of Good Films and Star Studio18 in association with Seeta Films and Rakesh Dang. It is produced by Firoz A. Nadiadwallah along with Rakesh Dang and Vedant Vikaas Baali.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I respect Suniel Shetty's honesty. He's been in the industry for decades and still feels the same passion. But I have to say, a film with 30+ actors can sometimes feel overcrowded and chaotic. Remember what happened with some multi-starrer films in the past? Let's hope the script is as strong as the cast. Fingers crossed! 🤞
Just seeing Paresh Rawal, Johny Lever, and Akshay in one frame gives me a smile! The original Welcome was a cult classic for comedy lovers. I hope this one captures that same magic. Suniel Shetty saying that audience perspective is different on Friday—that's the real truth of Bollywood. So true!
It's refreshing to see a veteran actor acknowledge the fear of failure. It keeps them grounded and hungry for success. But I'm a bit skeptical about the 'massive star cast' being the biggest strength. Sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth. Let's see if the director Ahmed Khan can manage this ensemble properly. I'm cautiously optimistic!
Suniel Shetty speaking facts. Box office is a Monday-to-Friday game in Bollywood. One hit and you're a hero, one flop and you're finished. I love that he's not pretending to be overconfident. Welcome to the Jungle looks fun—let's hope it delivers! I'm booking tickets for the weekend 🔥
Honestly, I'm tired of these multi-starrer comedies that just rely on star power and forget the story. The original
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