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The Housefull franchise is known for its signature brand of chaotic slapstick, mistaken identities, and over-the-top humor. With Housefull 5, the creators attempted a marketing gamble — releasing two versions of the same movie, labeled Version A and Version B. The promise? Different endings. The reality? A nearly identical experience with a mild twist that barely justifies the double feature.
The film opens with the death of a wealthy tycoon who leaves behind a £69 billion empire — and a single heir named “Jolly.” The only problem? No one knows who the real Jolly is. Enter three claimants: Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, and Abhishek Bachchan, each with a story that proves they’re the rightful heir.
As the cruise-ship setting becomes a maze of lies, identities, and misdirection, the board of directors — and eventually the audience — is left wondering: who’s real, who’s faking, and what’s with the sudden murders on board?
If you’re hoping for a mystery that rewards close attention, temper those expectations. The plot plays second fiddle to gag after gag, many of which lean on outdated tropes and exaggerated physical humor.
Version A and B differ only in their final minutes — each pointing to a different killer in the film’s climax. The rest of the runtime (a long 165 minutes) remains exactly the same, from the opening sequence to the very last punchline before the twist. The idea might have sounded clever in a pitch meeting, but in execution, it feels like a gimmick designed more to spark FOMO than storytelling.
If you’re choosing between the two: Version A is the better-crafted ending and likely the “original intent” of the filmmakers. Version B, while not bad, doesn’t add anything worth a second ticket.
At its best, Housefull 5 delivers a few laugh-out-loud moments — notably a chaotic parrot attack and an unexpected action-heavy entry for Jackie Shroff and Sanjay Dutt that momentarily hints at a buddy-cop film waiting to happen. Unfortunately, those flashes of energy are buried under repetitive jokes, unnecessary double entendres, and an over-reliance on adult humor that lacks finesse.
There’s also an alarming amount of sexualization in scenes that serve no narrative purpose — like a slow-motion crawl through air vents by the lead actresses that exists purely for visual titillation.
Akshay Kumar brings fleeting glimpses of his old comic timing, but even he breaks character — literally — during a scene involving a co-star’s stiff performance. Riteish and Abhishek hold their own, while supporting players like Johnny Lever, Nana Patekar, and Shreyas Talpade are given little to work with beyond repeated gags and forced awkwardness.
Newcomer Saundarya Sharma shows up in a highly objectified role but commits to what’s asked of her. Sonam Bajwa offers one of the better performances among the female leads, while Jackie Shroff and Sanjay Dutt’s chemistry remains a pleasant, if underutilized, surprise.
While the film adds a few newer faces and returns to its ensemble roots, there’s very little in terms of genuine character development — especially for its women. Most are written to serve the men’s storylines, often reduced to props for jokes or visual glam. The diversity is skin-deep and driven more by casting than characterization.
Housefull 5 knows exactly what it is — a B-grade, no-effort-required comedy that banks on nostalgia and crowd-pleasing absurdity. The filmmakers don’t attempt to challenge their audience’s intelligence, and that’s both the strength and weakness of the movie.
Yes, there are funny parts. Yes, it’s a decent timepass. But if you’re looking for anything beyond surface-level fun or expecting a clever payoff from its dual-version experiment, you’ll likely leave disappointed.
A one-time watch that relies on recycled humor, flashy edits, and the audience’s tolerance for chaos. You’ll laugh a bit, cringe a lot, and probably forget most of it by tomorrow.
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