Suniel Shetty returned to his comic avatar on screen as he got to reunite with some of his iconic co-actors from the ’90s like Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Raveena Tandon in Welcome To The Jungle. With the film emerging a big success at the box office, the actor believes it marks a new avenue for family entertainers in Bollywood.
Suniel Shetty on Welcome To The Jungle success
“The success of any film is a success for the industry, especially in a time when we have forgotten what family entertainment means and what it means to be inclusive with grandparents and grandkids. The mindset of Disney is the mindset that Firoz Nadiadwala has and that’s the reason for the success of Welcome To The Jungle. I am happy, excited and hoping that many more family entertainers will come into play,” he says.
On reuniting with his former co-stars, Suniel says, “The most beautiful part of the film is that despite having so many iconic actors, you are still able to find your niche and be appreciated like anyone else. The success is as much of Akshay as much as it is of Raveena, Paresh bhai, Johnny, me or any other actor. Films like this give you that one chance to get back in the audience’s hearts. I piggybacked on Akshay, Paresh ji and Raveena to be a part of this successful franchise, and I am glad I made that choice. I am glad I wasn’t insecure with these people around me.”
The actor believes it’s a great time for the ’90s actors not only on the OTT but also the big screen. “After films like Dhurandhar, known faces are being looked at very closely again. Actors who have a great body of work are being looked at again because it’s easy for the audience to identify and appreciate them,” he says.
Suniel Shetty on Hera Pheri 3
In Welcome To The Jungle, Suniel teamed up with his Hera Pheri co-stars, but recently the news came that Priyadarshan has parted ways with the third instalment and the film is currently in limbo. Ask Suniel about it and he says, “Hera Pheri is the biggest comedy franchise of my career and the nostalgia attached to it is just so heartwarming. The constant memes on it, and with it’s recall value, who wouldn’t want that to happen. Fingers crossed, hopefully after Welcome To The Jungle, something magical should happen.”