Post-Sanjay Dutt exit, Jackie Shroff joins 'Welcome to the Jungle'
If a recent report is to be believed, veteran Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff has joined the cast of the upcoming comedy film, Welcome to the Jungle, starring Akshay Kumar. This news follows the recent exit of Sanjay Dutt from the project due to health concerns. The film, which recently wrapped up its Mumbai schedule, is directed by Ahmed Khan and produced by Firoz Nadiadwala.
Shroff won't be playing Dutt's role though
Shroff commenced shooting for Welcome to the Jungle shortly after Dutt's departure. A source close to the project told Pinkvilla that there have been alterations in character roles following this change. "While Suniel Shetty will now be playing the role which was initially written for Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff has come on board to play the part that Suniel Shetty had signed on for," explained the source.
Strategic casting change to maintain character USPs
The casting change was a strategic decision by the filmmakers to preserve the unique selling point (USP) of each character. "The humor for Suniel's character comes from his machoism. Jackie on the other hand shares (a) very exciting dynamic with the lead roles and the film presents him in a completely new avatar," said the source. The casting alteration apparently took place in December, and since then, Shroff has already filmed a significant portion of his scenes.
'Welcome to the Jungle' boasts star-studded ensemble cast
Welcome to the Jungle is expected to be one of 2024's biggest comedies, featuring an ensemble cast that includes Paresh Rawal, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Lara Dutta, Raveena Tandon, Rajpal Yadav, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Mika Singh, and Daler Mehndi. The film is scheduled for a Christmas 2024 release and aims to wrap up filming by the end of July.
