New Delhi: Akshay Kumar’s much-awaited ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ from the Welcome franchise seems to be in trouble. The star had recently announced the third installment of the much-loved movie on his 56th birthday, dropping a fun a-cappella version. According to reports, the shoot of the highly anticipated film has been stopped due to non-payment of dues.
According to a report in ETimes, the Federation Of Western Cine Association recently made an appeal to the actors and technicians of Firoz Nadiadwala’s ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ to act upon the producer to pay the balance amount of filmmaker Anees Bazmee, whose cheques have bounced.
Reportedly, a non-cooperation was also issued against Firoz Nadiadwala by the FWICE three years back. The organisation has also written to all the actors of Welcome 3 including Akshay Kumar and Disha Patani to not shoot, unless Firoz Nadiadwala clears the pending dues to the technicians of Welcome 2.
BN Tiwari, President of FWICE told ETimes, “We have informed all the actors of the film, including Akshay Kumar and Disha Patni, that the federation has issued a non- cooperation on Firoz Nadiadwala for defaulting payments, and that they should not shoot for the film unless pending dues of Rs 2 crore is cleared for the technicians. Firoz Nadiadwala had paid the technicians of ‘Welcome 2’ in 2015 and the amount was about Rs 4 crore, which was later reduced to Rs 2 crore. However, Nadiadwala stopped payment of the cheque after we deposited it.”
He added, “We issued non-cooperation in 2015, but will implement it now, as he has finally begun work on his next film and we will not allow him to shoot it till the payment is cleared.”
Besides Akshay, the cast of the film includes Paresh Rawal, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty, Johnny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor and others. Much to the dismay of fans, Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor are not a part of the film. Reacting to the same on Tuesday, Nana Patekar said, “Hum Bahut Puraane Ho Gaye Hain.“
The veteran actor is returning to the big screen after five years in The Vaccine War. He was last seen in Kaala.
