Tarun Mansukhani's comedy thriller film Housefull 5 starring Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, in the lead roles, was released in theatres on 6th June 2025.
Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Chitrangda Singh, Fardeen Khan, Chunky Panday, Johnny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Dino Morea, Ranjeet, Soundarya Sharma, Nikitin Dheer appeared in supporting roles in this film.
In Housefull 5, billionaire Ranjit’s (Ranjeet) death triggers a battle for his wealth, as his will names Jolly as the sole heir. Dev (Fardeen Khan), Ranjit's son from his first marriage, teams up with board members to take control of the fortune.
Amidst this, three different men named Jolly — Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, and Ritesh Deshmukh — find themselves aboard a cruise ship. The mystery deepens: who among them is the real Jolly, and who is responsible for the murders occurring on board?
Housefull 5 follows the usual formula of a comedy entertainer, giving us the rare opportunity to watch some of Bollywood's top stars together. The music stands out as excellent, but honestly, only a couple of scenes will actually make you smile.
The scene where Jalbhushan (Abhishek Bachchan) is interrogated by Chief Inspector Bhiddu (Sanjay Dutt) and Chief Inspector Baba (Jackie Shroff), while his photo is displayed on the TV screen labeling him as a wanted criminal, was genuinely hilarious.
Revisiting a few scenes from the previous installments of the franchise felt forced and served no real purpose in the current storyline. While the central storyline was promising, the film faltered due to its poorly written screenplay, weak dialogue, and lackluster execution.
When outstanding comedians like Johnny Lever, Chunky Panday, and Shreyas Talpade fail to make you laugh, it clearly reflects how weak the writing was. The only notable contributions came from Riteish Deshmukh, Akshay Kumar, Sonam Bajwa, and Nana Patekar, who managed to provide some relief amidst the otherwise lackluster film.
Tarun Mansukhani, who began his directorial journey with a blockbuster like Dostana, seems to be out of form at present. Though there were several areas that needed improvement, he failed to address the crucial aspects, ultimately leading to disappointment.
With Housefull 5, the franchise seems to have shifted its genre, starting as a comedy-drama with the earlier Housefull films, it now leans more towards a comedy-thriller. However, it feels more like a thriller, as only one or two scenes genuinely evoke laughter, making it hard to categorize the film purely as a comedy.
The film, made on a budget of over ₹240 crore, has collected ₹126.08 crore till 11th June 2025, as per the latest update by trade analyst Taran Adarsh. With this, it becomes Akshay Kumar's 18th film to enter the ₹100 crore club, the highest for any actor in the Indian film industry.
It’s high time Bollywood stops making franchises if they don’t have a strong script that justifies the franchise’s value without damaging its reputation or disappointing the audience.
Rating: 4/10
Q: Who directed Housefull 5 and when was it released?
A: Tarun Mansukhani directed Housefull 5, which was released in theatres on 6th June 2025.
Q: Who are the lead actors in the film?
A: The film stars Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, and Nargis Fakhri in lead roles.
Q: Who appeared in supporting roles?
A: Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Chitrangda Singh, Fardeen Khan, Chunky Panday, Johnny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Dino Morea, Ranjeet, Soundarya Sharma, and Nikitin Dheer played supporting roles.
Q: What is the basic plot of Housefull 5?
A: After billionaire Ranjit (Ranjeet) passes away, his will names Jolly as the sole heir. Dev (Fardeen Khan), Ranjit's son from his first marriage, conspires with board members to seize the wealth. Meanwhile, three men named Jolly — Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, and Riteish Deshmukh — board a cruise ship, where a murder mystery unfolds.
Q: What genre does Housefull 5 belong to?
A: While the franchise started as a comedy-drama, Housefull 5 shifts towards a comedy-thriller. However, due to limited genuinely funny moments, it leans more into the thriller genre.
Q: How is the overall humor in the film?
A: Despite being marketed as a comedy, only one or two scenes genuinely evoke laughter, making it difficult to classify it as a true comedy.
Q: Was there any standout comic scene?
A: Yes, the interrogation scene where Jalbhushan (Abhishek Bachchan) is questioned by Chief Inspector Bhiddu (Sanjay Dutt) and Chief Inspector Baba (Jackie Shroff), while his photo is displayed as a wanted criminal, was genuinely hilarious.
Q: Were there any callbacks to previous Housefull films?
A: Yes, but revisiting scenes from earlier installments felt forced and served no real purpose in the current storyline.
Q: How was the writing and screenplay?
A: The core storyline had potential, but the film struggled with a weak screenplay, poor dialogues, and lackluster execution.
Q: How did the supporting comedians perform?
A: Even seasoned comedians like Johnny Lever, Chunky Panday, and Shreyas Talpade failed to deliver laughs, highlighting how poor the writing was. Their talents were completely wasted.
Q: Who managed to make an impact in the film?
A: Riteish Deshmukh, Akshay Kumar, Sonam Bajwa, and Nana Patekar managed to offer some relief in an otherwise lackluster film.
Q: How was Tarun Mansukhani’s direction?
A: After a successful debut with Dostana, Tarun Mansukhani seems out of form here. Despite several areas for improvement, he failed to address crucial aspects, leading to a disappointing outcome.
Q: What is the film’s box office performance?
A: Made on a budget of over ₹240 crore, the film collected ₹126.08 crore by 11th June 2025, as per trade analyst Taran Adarsh. This marks Akshay Kumar's 18th ₹100 crore film, the most for any Indian actor.
Q: What is our final verdict?
A: Bollywood should stop making franchise films unless backed by a strong script that maintains the franchise’s value and doesn't disappoint audiences.
0 Comments