The fifth sequel of the Housefull franchise, Housefull 5, enters theaters with a bang—or at least attempts to. With an enormous cast of actors and the guarantee of excessive over-the-top humor, the film had a lot of expectations placed on it. Directed by Tarun Mansukhani and penned by Farhad Samji, the movie tries its hand at an unusual mix of slapstick humor and a murder thriller. Sadly, Housefull 5 does so only in patches, for its humor peters out mid-way and the story becomes hopelessly entangled within its own mess.
A Murder Mystery Served with Laughs… Mostly
The narrative begins on a promising note. Billionaire Ranjit Dobriyal dies on the eve of his 100th birthday while on vacation aboard a plush cruise liner. He designates his heir as “Jolly,” thus paving the way for three contestants: Julius (Akshay Kumar), Jalbhushan (Abhishek Bachchan), and Jallabuddin (Riteish Deshmukh).
What begins as a straightforward inheritance drama quickly becomes a whodunit murder mystery, after a stunning on-ship murder. With more than a dozen suspects and intersecting motives, the movie attempts to balance a mystery plot and laughs—some of which are hits, lots of which are not.
The first half of the film goes smoothly enough, with high-energy set-pieces and reminders of earlier Housefull movies that evoke the nostalgia effect. Akshay Kumar gets back to his comfort zone, unleashing quick-witted punches and slapstick humor. Riteish Deshmukh supports him, as is his wont, with offbeat expressions and razor-sharp timing.
But as the movie plows into the second half, it runs into rough seas. The jokes get tired, puerile, and puerile. The whodunit aspect, which had seemed original at first, gets buried in the ocean of bewilderment and over-the-top hijinks.
One of the major USPs of Housefull 5 is its huge star cast. To go along with the lead trio, the movie features Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, Soundarya Sharma, and Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Chunky Pandey, among others, in their cameos.
Unfortunately, most of these performers are criminally underused. Abhishek Bachchan, who was hyped as a key player, is relegated to the sidelines until the last act. The female stars contribute to the film’s glamour but have little else to do except look pretty and play stereotypes.
Nana Patekar excels in the finale with his sardonic wit, but it is too little too late. The casting of Chitrangda Singh, Shreyas Talpade, Fardeen Khan, and Dino Morea comes across as a tick in the box than organic casting.
The Writing Is Not Witty, Falls Back on Old Gimmicks
Farhad Samji’s writing continues the trend of double-meaning jokes and sexist humor, a hallmark of previous Housefull films. While such jokes have worked in the past within a certain audience segment, they feel dated and excessive in this outing.
The movie fails to generate actual comedy from its intriguing and complicated plot setup. Rather than generating tension and humor via character relationships or identity mix-ups (which Housefull excels at), the script is too reliant on innuendo.
Although the climax tries to make up with a twist and Nana Patekar’s slapstick timing, the audience has already been tried by then.
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What Works and What Doesn’t
Positives:
- A decent, interesting start
- Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh’s chemistry
- Nana Patekar in the climax
- Grand production design and cruise visuals
- Not many really funny moments in the first half
Negatives:
- Weak second half
- Excessive use of double-entendre jokes
- Too many characters, most of them wasted
- Lack of coherence in screenplay
- Misuse of female leads for mere glamour
Final Verdict: Housefull 5 – Sinks Under Its Own Weight
Rating: 2.5/5
Housefull 5 attempts to be a funny comedy with a hint of mystery, but it turns out to be a muddled mess of ill-conceived gags and disappointing reveals. Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh try their level best to generate laughs, but the jokes feel stale and the surprise of the murder mystery fades soon.
The movie has enough to draw crowds initially—thanks to its franchise tag, star power, and slick visuals—but whether it sustains box office momentum remains to be seen. It could have been a great blend of Agatha Christie meets Bollywood madness. Instead, it settles for being a loud, glittery mess with the occasional chuckle.
For die-hard fans of the Housefull franchise, this might still remain a one-time watch. For others, it’s an underachievement that had all the makings but failed to whip up a tasty dish.
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