Paras Mehta celebrates as ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ crosses ₹175 crore, calls it a dream debut

Producer Paras Mehta’s debut film, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, has crossed ₹175 crore at the worldwide box office. The film marks his first production credit in Bollywood and has become one of the bigger comedy releases of the year going by collection numbers.

‘Welcome to the Jungle’ features Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal and Disha Patani in lead roles, along with a large supporting cast. The film belongs to a comedy franchise that has a strong track record in Hindi cinema. This link to an existing franchise has been cited as one reason for its steady run at the box office.

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Box office numbers

The film’s worldwide collections have gone past ₹175 crore. Trade sources report that the film has drawn consistent numbers from family audiences across India and overseas markets. The theatrical run has continued for several weeks without a major drop in footfall, based on current tracking.

What Paras Mehta said

Mehta issued a statement after the film crossed the ₹175 crore mark. He said the number was more than he had expected for his first project as a producer. He credited the cast, the crew and the production partners for the outcome. He also thanked audiences for watching the film in theatres.

Mehta’s move into Bollywood production began with this film. The project drew attention at the time of its announcement due to its large cast and its connection to a known comedy franchise. Industry observers had noted the scale of the cast as an ambitious starting point for a first time producer. Collections since release have been referenced as a marker of that approach paying off.

Franchise context

‘Welcome to the Jungle’ is part of a comedy franchise with a history of commercial success in Hindi cinema. Earlier films under the same franchise banner performed well at the box office, which helped build early interest in this installment. The presence of Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty, both linked to the franchise previously, has also been pointed to as a factor behind ticket sales.

Current status

The film remains in theatres and continues to add to its total collection. Trade reports suggest the film could see further growth in the coming weeks if the current pace holds.

Background

‘Welcome to the Jungle’ released amid heavy promotion built around its ensemble cast. The film’s marketing leaned on nostalgia tied to the franchise, along with the star pairing of Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty. Paresh Rawal and Disha Patani rounded out the principal cast, with additional actors filling out the ensemble. The film opened across a wide number of screens in India and select overseas markets, which trade watchers say contributed to its early collection numbers before word of mouth took over in later weeks.

Mehta has not announced further production plans following this debut. Trade watchers say his next steps in the industry will likely draw attention given the commercial outcome of this first project.