Welcome, the 2007 Hindi-language comedy co-written and directed by Anees Bazmee, arrived with a big cast and left with even bigger numbers. From a loose Hollywood connection to a sequel that missed its first date, here are eight details about the film.
It is a loose remake of Mickey Blue Eyes
Welcome is a loose remake of the 1999 English comedy Mickey Blue Eyes. Bazmee co-wrote and directed the film. It stars Feroz Khan, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal and Mallika Sherawat.
Feroz Khan’s final film role
Feroz Khan appears in his final film role in Welcome. His character and dialogues became largely popular among the masses even after his demise, leaving Welcome as his final film appearance.
Suniel Shetty joined as a guest
The main cast includes Feroz Khan, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal and Mallika Sherawat. Alongside them, Suniel Shetty made a guest appearance.
Three composers, five lyricists
The soundtrack was composed by Anand Raj Anand, Himesh Reshammiya and Sajid–Wajid. The lyrics were penned by Anand Raj Anand, Sameer, Shabbir Ahmed, Ibrahim Ashq and Anjaan Sagiri.
Critics praised Patekar and Kapoor’s gangsters
The film received mostly mixed to positive reviews from critics, with praise towards Patekar and Kapoor’s gangster characters. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave it 4 out of 5 stars and wrote, ‘Welcome is one of those entertainers that deliver what it promises: Funny sequences, super performances and loads and loads of laughter.’ The Times of India gave 3 out of 5 stars: ‘Go for end-of-the-year gags and season-of-goodwill giggles.’ Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com also gave 3 out of 5, while Rajeev Masand gave 1 out of 5 and called it ‘Welcome the tortuous comedy.’ The Hindu’s negative review was titled ‘No, thank you!’
A ₹35 crore opening week
Welcome opened to a massive response locally, grossing ₹35 crore (US$3.6 million) in its opening week. Despite competition from the popular Aamir Khan-starrer Taare Zameen Par, which was also a huge success, the film grossed ₹97.43 crore (US$10 million) domestically.
The sequel arrived later than planned
A sequel titled Welcome Back was earlier reported to release on 19 December 2014. The project finally released on 4 September 2015, with John Abraham, Shruti Haasan, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar and Paresh Rawal in titular roles.
Second only to Om Shanti Om
Made on a budget of ₹320 m, Welcome grossed around ₹117.91 crore (US$12 million) worldwide. That made it the second highest-grossing film of 2007, just behind Om Shanti Om.
Which detail were you most surprised by? From the Mickey Blue Eyes connection to the ₹35 crore opening, the 2007 comedy left plenty for fans to revisit.
Facts from Wikipedia: Welcome (2007 film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.