15 years of Welcome: Anil Kapoor on his iconic character Majnu bhai

Anil Kapoor’s art-enthusiast gangster Majnu Bhai became an iconic character since Welcome was released in 2007. Anees Bazmee’s family- comedy, even after over a decade, retains its hilarity and can serve as a lesson for contemporary writers in slapstick.

Sharing why Majnu is one of his favourite characters, Anil Kapoor said, “Majnu bhai’s character was indeed fun to  portray. I didn’t feel like I was acting and it came to me naturally. With Anees Bhai’s writing and direction and with Nana being the perfect co-star, the role became easy and lots of fun.”

Talking about the fandom Majnu bhai has among members and Gen Z, Anil said, “I see so many recreations on social media of his dialogues and it’s amazing how he is still relatable even to the Gen Z. The character will instantly lift your mood with his dialogues and swag.”

Welcome was released on December 21, 2007. The film was directed by Anees Bazmee and had an ensemble cast consisting of Anil Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Katrina Kaif, Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Malaika Sherawat, Feroz Khan, among others.