Jul 29, 2026 3:15pm IST
After ‘Bhooth Bangla,’ ‘Dhamaal 4’ and ‘Welcome to the Jungle,’ Archana Puran Singh Explains Why Comedy Never Fails (EXCLUSIVE)
Comedy has emerged as one of Bollywood’s most bankable genres in the first half of 2026. From Akshay Kumar’s horror-comedy “Bhooth Bangla” and the ensemble laugh-riot “Welcome to the Jungle” to Ajay Devgn’s “Dhamaal 4,” audiences have turned out in large numbers, reaffirming the genre’s strong box-office pull and return on investment for filmmakers. Archana Puran Singh, who is known for her comic flair on television and OTT, reflects on the genre’s success.
Singh says, “Comedy films are doing well because people want to escape their daily life tensions and stress. It has worked from Mehmood sir’s time to Johnny Lever and Amitabh Bachchan, who has done some amazing comic roles. Comedy always works.”
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“Bhooth Bangla,” directed by Priyadarshan, collected over ₹175 crore nett in India, while its worldwide earnings have reached around ₹259 crore. Meanwhile, “Welcome to the Jungle” raked in over ₹100 crore, locking in ₹133.40 crore at the Indian box office. The fourth film in the “Dhamaal” franchise has collected over ₹135.50 crore.
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Singh, who has been a part of several comedy films and shows, got to tap into her comedic skills in her role as Urmila in Biswapati Sarkar’s web show. About the show, she says, “‘Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya’ celebrates India. These are real-life characters from our (student) diaspora. It tells you about the problems that a dysfunctional school like this faces. We have many of these.”
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