Watch: Akshay Kumar-Disha Patani’s ‘Ucha Lamba Kad Forever’ Drops, Fans Miss Katrina Kaif
Akshay Kumar and Disha Patani’s ‘Ucha Lamba Kad Forever’ revived a beloved Bollywood classic, but fans can’t stop comparing it to Katrina Kaif’s iconic original.
Nostalgia is a tricky game in Bollywood, and the makers of ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ are currently learning that firsthand. The highly anticipated third installment in the beloved ‘Welcome’ franchise just dropped its newest track ‘Ucha Lamba Kad Forever’, featuring Akshay Kumar and Disha Patani. However, while the makers intended to recreate the magic of the 2007 chartbuster, the internet has unanimously declared that they are sorely missing the original leading lady: Katrina Kaif.
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Nearly two decades after the original film gave audiences the iconic party anthem ‘Ucha Lamba Kad’, the track has been revived for the upcoming action-comedy directed by Ahmed Khan. Taking to social media to announce the song’s release, Akshay Kumar wrote, “You heard it once and you're still obsessed… now bringing that vibe into the jungle 'Ucha Lamba Kad Forever' Out Now.”
Check out Akshay Kumar’s Instagram post below:
The new music video features Akshay and Disha trying to capture the 2007 vibe, complete with similar hook steps from the original track. While the makers have maintained the core essence of the melody – making only a few minor musical changes – the visual replacement of Katrina Kaif with Disha Patani has sparked a massive debate among loyal fans.
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The comment sections across platforms have been flooded with fans longing for Katrina's signature charm. One YouTube user explicitly stated, "Disha can't replace our pretty beautiful Katrina Kaif," while another echoed the sentiment, writing, "Nothing can beat Katrina Kaif version." Many simply reminisced about the magic of the first film, commenting, "OG Hits Different Katrina" and stating that the new recreation is "incomplete without Katrina Kaif."
The criticism didn't stop at pure nostalgia; several netizens heavily analysed the on-screen chemistry and screen presence of the new pairing. Pointing out the casting choices, one frustrated fan wrote, "Akshay looks so creepy romancing all these young heroines...yuck."
Another user broke down the performance differences in detail: "Screen presence can make or break an actor. Kat wasn't much of an actor but when I compare this to the OG video, it is a masterclass on how screen presence and charisma does the heavy lifting. Disha looks so dull and bland in comparison. Bollywood actors remaking their songs by replacing the actresses with 10 or 20 year younger version is just one of the prime examples of everything wrong with this industry."
Doubling down on the critique, another commenter added, "1st uncha lamba kad was so classy... but they ruined it with Disha. Though both Disha n kat can't act, kat had screen presence and expressions that compensated well, but Disha looks as if she sleepwalked instead of dancing. Song ruined successfully."
Despite the heavy wave of criticism regarding the casting, some viewers appreciated the nostalgic revival. One enthusiastic fan praised the new track, commenting, "The OG Chartbuster Returns with the Same Vibe. Akshay Kumar in his Full Energy and Swag Hitting The Nostalgia & Disha Patani Is Slaying Her Sizzling Avatar and Chemistry Fire." Another added that the "2007 vibes are back."
On the musical front, the original track was famously composed, penned, and sung by Anand Raj Anand alongside singer Kalpana Patowary. For ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, the music has been completely recreated by Vikram Montrose, featuring additional lyrics by Meggha Bali. Anand Raj Anand returns to lend his vocals to the remix, joined this time by singer Rubai.
Produced by Firoz Nadiadwala, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ boasts a massive ensemble cast. Alongside Akshay Kumar and Disha Patani, the film stars Suniel Shetty, Jacqueline Fernandez, Arshad Warsi, Jackie Shroff, Paresh Rawal, Raveena Tandon, Lara Dutta, Farida Jalal, Johny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Tusshar Kapoor, Rajpal Yadav, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda, Daler Mehndi, Aftab Shivdasani, Mukesh Tiwari, Yashpal Sharma, Kiran Kumar, Zakir Hussain, Vindu Dara Singh and Urvashi Rautela, among others.
The comedy is officially slated to hit theatres on June 26, 2026, following in the footsteps of its hit predecessors, ‘Welcome’ (2007) and ‘Welcome Back’ (2015).
