Akshay Kumar

Review: Akshay Kumar’s Welcome To The Jungle – Too many stars, very little substance

by 123telugu June 27, 2026

Movie Name : Welcome To The Jungle

Release Date : June 26, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.5/5
Starring : Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Jackie Shroff, Paresh Rawal, Raveena Tandon and Others
Director : Ahmed Khan
Producers : Firoz A, Nadiadwallah, Rakesh Dang, Vedant Vikaas Baali
Music Directors : Vikram Montrose, Talwiinder, NDS, Anand Raaj Anand, Sajid-Wajid
Cinematographer : Kabir Lal
Editors : Nitin FCP

Related Links : Trailer

The popular Welcome franchise in Bollywood has now returned with the third installment, ‘Welcome To The Jungle.’ Headlined by Akshay Kumar, the movie hit the big screens, and let’s see how it is.

Story:

A popular businessman comes up with a bizarre plan to legalize his black money. He invites two of the worst directors in the film industry, Dev (Rajpal Yadav) and Das (Paresh Rawal), and assigns them the task of making the worst film ever. The directors cast Failure Star Rajeev (Akshay Kumar), gangster Romeo (Arshad Warsi), and Yeda Anna (Suniel Shetty) in the film. They head to a jungle for the shoot, and the movie revolves around the bizarre encounters the cast and crew face there.

Plus Points:

After a long time, it is good to see Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal in a single frame, and it instantly reminds us of the old classic comedies. Akshay Kumar single-handedly carries some of the fun sequences, showcasing his histrionics and impeccable comedy timing.

Though the first half is slow, the 20-minute pre-interval-to-interval sequence has come out very well and evokes solid laughs. The confusion drama, and jokes during this stretch clicked well. Johny Lever, Arshad Warsi, and Shreyas Talpade bring their experience to the table, and the situational gags were decent in some scenes.

Minus Points:

The sharp screenplay and logic that made Welcome Part One a classic are nowhere to be seen in this film. The story lacks clarity, and it appears that some scenes are intentionally included just for the sake of jokes without driving the narrative forward.

The movie features more than 20 popular actors, and their presence on screen only adds to the confusion. Many of them don’t get enough prominence in the plot. In particular, the roles of Lara Dutta and Jacqueline Fernandez are weak. Disha Patani, too, doesn’t get much scope to shine.

The film has a runtime of about 2 hours and 45 minutes, and it certainly tests the audience’s patience after a point. Many moments in the second half, in particular, are stretched beyond what is necessary. The visual quality the film demands is missing, and the VFX work is poor. Except for Ek Uncha Lamba Kad, the other songs are forgettable.

Technical Aspects:

Director Ahmed Khan tried to sell the film by banking on the craze of the franchise, but he couldn’t come up with a proper script. Though some dialogues are good, many appear old-fashioned. Though the production values are good, the excessive use of green screen visuals affects the viewing experience. The editing is below par, with many slow moments in both halves.

Verdict:

On the whole, Welcome To The Jungle is a below-par outing compared to the first two films in the Welcome franchise. Akshay Kumar’s comedy timing and the fun moments in the interval block evoke some laughs. However, the weak writing, forced comedy tracks, and lengthy runtime work against the movie.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

June 27, 2026

Review: Bhooth Bangla – Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan’s Film Falls Flat

by 123telugu April 17, 2026

Movie Name : Bhoot Bangla

Release Date : April 17, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.25/5
Starring : Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Jisshu Sengupta, Manoj Joshi, Mithila Palkar, Asrani Ji, Rajesh Sharma
Director : Priyadarshan
Producers : Akshay Kumar, Shobha Kapoor, Ektaa R. Kapoor
Music Director : Pritam
Cinematographer : Divakar Mani
Editor : Aiyappan Nair M.S

Related Links : Trailer

The highly anticipated reunion of Bollywood star Akshay Kumar and director Priyadarshan is finally here with Bhooth Bangla. Given their legendary track record, expectations were naturally high for this horror comedy. Let’s see if the film manages to live up to the hype.

Story:

The plot kicks off when Akshay Kumar’s character returns to India from London. His plan is simple: host his sister’s wedding at their grand ancestral bungalow. However, things quickly take a turn when he experiences a series of unexpected events on the property. He soon uncovers a shocking secret tied to the house. What exactly is hiding inside the bungalow? Will the wedding still happen there? The rest of the movie answers these questions.

Plus Points:

Akshay Kumar is easily the biggest strength of the film. His signature comic timing is still intact, and he manages to pull off some genuine laughs. Seeing Rajpal Yadav and Paresh Rawal share the screen again brings back great memories from their classic hits, and their performances give the audience some much-needed relief. On the visual side, cinematographer Diwakar Mani does a fine job. The bungalow set design looks grand, and the camera work captures the scale nicely.

Minus Points:

The biggest problem with Bhoot Bangla is the core story. It feels like a recycled script from decades ago, offering absolutely nothing fresh in the screenplay. A good horror comedy needs to either scare you or make you laugh out loud, but the spooky scenes here fall completely flat.

Instead of feeling thrilling, they just drag on. The comedy in the second half feels forced and awkward. To make matters worse, the climax is incredibly predictable and ends on a dull note.

Technical Aspects:

Director Priyadarshan unfortunately fails to recreate the magic of his earlier blockbusters. Because the core story lacks depth, even his vast directing experience isn’t enough to save the film. Pritam’s music is okay, but the songs pop up at the wrong times and interrupt the flow of the narrative. The editing by Aiyappan Nair also needed tighter work, as trimming down the second half would have made a big difference.

Verdict:

On the whole, Bhooth Bangla is a horror comedy that fails to impress. Aside from Akshay Kumar’s comedy and very few fun moments, there isn’t much to keep you hooked. The outdated narrative and boring horror sequences heavily weigh the movie down significantly. Hence, it ends up as a disappointing watch.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.25/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

April 17, 2026

Review: Akshay Kumar’s Jolly LLB 3 – Works in bits and pieces

by 123telugu September 20, 2025

Movie Name : Jolly LLB 3

Release Date : Sep 19, 2025
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, Saurabh Shukla, Amrita Rao, Huma Qureshi
Director : Subhash Kapoor
Producers : Alok Jain, Ajit Andhare
Music Directors : Aman Pant, Anurag Saikia, Vikram Montrose
Cinematographer : Rangarajan Ramabadran
Editor : Chandrashekhar Prajapati

Related Links : Trailer

Story:

In the Delhi court, Jagadishwar Mishra alias Jolly (Akshay Kumar) and Jagadish Tyagi alias Jolly (Arshad Warsi) keep fighting with each other. They go up against Imperial Group head Haribhai Khetani (Gajraj) in a case filed by a woman farmer. Who actually took up this case? What challenges did they face while fighting against Haribhai Khetani? And who ultimately won the case? This forms part of the crux of the film.

Plus Points:

Among the courtroom dramas, Jolly LLB has a solid craze among the audience. The first two films impressed audiences with their good content and performances. The third part also features solid portrayals by Akshay Kumar and Arshad Warsi. It’s so good to see two Jollys in a single film, and the actors have killed it with their performances.

The film neatly shows how some corporate companies illegally occupy farmers’ lands and the hardships farmers endure after losing them, with a lot of detail given to this aspect. The first half is totally filled with fights between the two heroes to outdo each other, and they work to an extent.

But after taking up the case, the film turns into a serious mode, and the proceedings that come after that are neatly executed. The background score is in line with the film’s storyline and is impressive. Gajraj Rao shines in his role. Saurabh Shukla, who has been part of this franchise, captivates once again with his performance. His portrayal as a judge is the soul of Jolly LLB 3.

Minus Points:

Jolly LLB 3 might not impress those who liked the first two parts. Both those films had solid courtroom drama, but Jolly LLB 3 has fewer court scenes. The film mostly revolves around the main problem it deals with, and it becomes somewhat monotonous after a point.

Though the third part features two heroes, it is Saurabh Shukla who steals the show with his strong performance, which may disappoint fans of the stars. Akshay’s role is fine, but Arshad Warsi’s part could have been written much better. The others don’t get much scope.

The director took more time to get to the point, and this might bore the audience. When the second half is going in a serious mode, the insertion of unwanted comedy tracks breaks the momentum. Hence, we don’t feel the impact of an emotional song. The climax also falls short.

Technical Aspects:

The story chosen isn’t anything new, so there isn’t much excitement. Since the story is routine, the director should have designed the screenplay in a better way. There are many lag moments in the proceedings. The songs are just okay, while the background score is good. Editing is below par, and the production values are good.

Verdict:

On the whole, Jolly LLB 3 doesn’t create the same impact as its predecessors. Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, and Saurabh Shukla give good performances, and the court scenes are engaging. However, the weak writing, lack of exciting elements in the story, and the dragged sequences are major drawbacks. Fans of courtroom dramas and the Jolly LLB franchise are advised to watch it by keeping their expectations in check.

123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

September 20, 2025

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