As “Welcome” celebrates its 18th anniversary, Anil Kapoor reflects on the film with gratitude and nostalgia.
A Heartfelt Tribute to Feroz Khan
In a touching homage to the late Feroz Khan, Anil Kapoor reminisced about the impact of Khan’s iconic character RDX. Kapoor noted how the veteran actor infused the film with unmatched energy and gravitas, turning the role into one of its standout features. He highlighted that Feroz Khan was instrumental in elevating the film through his powerful performance.
On Sunday, Anil Kapoor shared images from the beloved comedy-drama on his X handle. The nostalgic photos feature him posing alongside Feroz Khan and Nana Patekar. One memorable monochrome image dates back to 1986, showing the late actor with his arms around Anil. Other shots capture their scenes together in “Welcome.” In his caption, the ‘Animal’ actor expressed, “18 years of Welcome. This one’s for Feroz Khan Saab. Welcome wasn’t Welcome without RDX, just like Mr. India wasn’t complete without Mogambo. Both are irreplaceable. Period.”
Anil Kapoor further stated, “I remember hearing the script and wondering how it would land. Picture yaha ruk jati hai baith jati hain. Anees bhai said, ‘Chinta mat karo… Feroz Saab picture utha lenge.’ And he did. RDX lifted the film. This film. This character, this madness, this magic.”
About “Welcome”
The 2007 Hindi-language romantic comedy was co-written and directed by Anees Bazmee. It drew loose inspiration from the 1999 English comedy “Mickey Blue Eyes.” The film features an ensemble cast including Feroz Khan, Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal, and Mallika Sherawat, with special appearances by Sunil Shetty and Malaika Arora.
Importantly, “Welcome” marked Feroz Khan’s final on-screen role, as he passed away two years later after a battle with lung cancer.