Akshay Kumar says Welcome to the Jungle is all self mockery

The Bollywood star said comedy only works when actors leave their egos behind and keep things light.

Akshay Kumar and Farida Jalal, stars of Welcome to the Jungle, spoke about the film’s self deprecating humour and the idea of intentionally making a flop comedy as a way of poking fun at themselves.
The actors appeared in an exclusive interview with Indian media ahead of the film’s release this Friday. The movie has been promoted with the tongue in cheek tagline, fake film, real jungle, real danger, real idiots.
Speaking about the viral catchphrase, Kumar joked that there was once a film called 3 Idiots, and that this one has 32 idiots, calling it a fun film that was given 2,000 crores to flop, adding that audiences would have to watch it to see what actually happens.
Kumar explained that the film embraces self mockery, allowing actors to laugh at themselves rather than take their screen personas too seriously. He said he is making fun of himself in the film, and that his character has to put him down because he does not like him in the story, comparing it to how flop films traditionally work.
He added that comedy only works when performers are willing to let go of their egos, saying you cannot make a good film if you start taking things personally, and that a light hearted approach is essential to creating an entertaining comedy.
Speaking about his co-star, Kumar revealed that Welcome to the Jungle marks Jalal’s first full fledged comedy role. He said audiences have mostly seen her in serious roles and tragedies over the years, recalling her performance as his mother in the 1994 film Elaan, which he described as a very good film he will remember for the rest of his life. He added that although she has never done comedy like this before, she will likely be the most memorable part of the film for many viewers, and that this is just the beginning for her in the genre.
Reflecting on how she came on board, Jalal credited filmmaker Ahmed Khan for convincing her to take on the role, saying she considers him like a son and wanted to do it for him regardless. She said he narrated the part to her and she got very excited about it. She also thanked Kumar for his support, telling him affectionately that she loves him for what he has done for her.
With its ensemble cast, self aware humour and willingness to poke fun at Bollywood conventions, Welcome to the Jungle appears to be leaning fully into comedy that does not take itself seriously. For Kumar and Jalal, that spirit of fun and self mockery is exactly what they believe audiences will enjoy when the film hits cinemas this week.