Anees Bazmee REVEALS Nana Patekar Was NOT Ready To Hear Welcome Script: 'Apni Maa Ki Kasam...'

Welcome, the Bollywood comedy film directed by Anees Bazmee, released in 2007. It features a star-studded cast, including Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Paresh Rawal. The story revolves around Uday Shetty (Nana) and his brother Majnu Bhai (Anil), who are involved in the underworld but have comical aspirations for a normal life. The film is known for its humour, memorable dialogues and quirky characters. Reflecting on his experiences with the film, Anees recently shared that Nana Patekar initially refused to hear the script. The director recounted how he cast Nana, mentioning that he wasn't willing to listen to the story.

He insisted that Anees swear on his mother and confirm whether he should take on the role, demonstrating his trust in the director's judgment. The director revealed, "Woh kahaani sunne ke liye hi tayyar nahin the (He wasn't ready to hear the story). He said, 'Mujhe kahaani nahin sunni Anees. Tum apni maa ki kasam khao aur batao ki mujhe ye karna chahiye (I don't want to hear the story, Anees. You swear on your mother and tell me if I should do it or not)."

The director shared that after initially refusing to hear the script, Nana Patekar finally listened to it for three hours and was thoroughly delighted. Anees Bazmee admitted to being a big fan of Nana and noted that while he had never attempted comedy roles before Welcome, he believed the actor could truly redefine the genre. He remarked that Nana approached his comedic role with utmost seriousness. Although there were stories about Nana being difficult to work with, Anees found the experience quite the opposite, describing him as a fantastic actor to collaborate with.

About Welcome

Over the years, Welcome has gained a cult following due to its entertaining blend of comedy and chaos, with iconic scenes and catchphrases that fans still quote. Its success led to a sequel, 'Welcome Back,' released in 2015. The film features a prominent cast, including Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal and Mallika Sherawat, marking the final screen appearance of actor Feroz Khan.

The film received mixed to positive reviews, with particular praise for the performances of Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor as gangsters.

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