'Welcome to the Jungle' advance booking: Akshay-starrer promises big debut
What's the story
Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, who recently delivered a box office success with Bhooth Bangla, is set to return to theaters with another comedy film, Welcome to the Jungle, this week. The third installment of the Welcome franchise will be released on Friday (June 26), with paid preview shows starting a day earlier on Thursday (June 25) at 7:30pm.
Box office prediction
'Welcome to the Jungle' set for ₹20cr opening
Trade experts are predicting a strong opening for Welcome to the Jungle. The movie is expected to rake in ₹18-19 crore net at the box office on its first day, according to RecoBee, via Variety India. The preview shows are likely to add another ₹3.5-4 crore, bringing its total opening collection comfortably over ₹20 crore. This would make it Kumar's third biggest post-COVID opening after Sooryavanshi (₹26.29 crore) and Housefull 5 (₹24 crore).
Advance sales
Advance ticket sales indicate positive trend
The film has shown a decent trend in advance ticket sales, with tickets worth ₹80 lakh sold for Thursday preview shows and ₹1.1 crore for the first day. The sales are expected to pick up further as the release day approaches. Despite a slight downward revision in opening projections, Welcome to the Jungle remains a top choice among moviegoers, as reflected in advance booking reports. The film stars a massive ensemble cast, including Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, and Raveena Tandon.
Box office expectations
Will 'Welcome to the Jungle' beat 'Bhooth Bangla's collection?
Trade estimates suggest that Welcome to the Jungle could cross ₹150 crore at the domestic box office. However, whether it can surpass Bhooth Bangla's earnings will depend on audience reception. The Priyadarshan-directed horror-comedy collected ₹182 crore in India and ₹270 crore worldwide, emerging as a hit. Given its high production costs, Welcome to the Jungle needs a domestic net collection of at least ₹250 crore to be considered commercially successful.