Welcome To The Jungle worldwide box office collection day 1: Akshay Kumar's comedy beats Bhooth Bangla, Cocktail 2's opening

Welcome To The Jungle worldwide box office collection day 1: Akshay Kumar's comedy beats Bhooth Bangla, Cocktail 2's opening

Akshay Kumar's latest comedy entertainer, Welcome To The Jungle, has made an impressive debut at the worldwide box office, delivering one of the actor's strongest openings of 2026. The much-awaited third installment in the Welcome franchise grossed more than ₹29 crore worldwide on its opening day, outperforming the first-day collections of Akshay's earlier release Bhooth Bangla as well as Cocktail 2.

Released amid considerable buzz, the Ahmed Khan directorial benefited from a holiday release and the nostalgia associated with the Welcome franchise. The film's ensemble cast and franchise appeal helped draw audiences to theatres across India and overseas markets.

Industry trackers estimate that the film collected around ₹15 crore net in India on Day 1, while its worldwide gross crossed the ₹29 crore mark. The opening places Welcome To The Jungle ahead of Bhooth Bangla and Cocktail 2 in terms of first-day worldwide earnings, signalling renewed box office momentum for Akshay Kumar.

The film features an expansive star cast, including Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Jacqueline Fernandez, Disha Patani, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav and several others, making it one of Bollywood's biggest ensemble comedies in recent years.

While audience reactions have largely praised the film's nostalgic callbacks, comic timing and performances, reviews have been mixed regarding the screenplay. Despite the divided critical response, the strong opening indicates that the franchise continues to enjoy significant popularity among moviegoers.

Trade analysts will now closely watch the film's performance over its opening weekend. A sustained run through Saturday and Sunday could help Welcome To The Jungle post one of the best opening weekends for a Bollywood comedy this year.

With its encouraging Day 1 numbers, Welcome To The Jungle has given Akshay Kumar another box office success and reaffirmed the enduring appeal of the Welcome franchise among cinema audiences.