Sylvie 
After a long wait and massive expectations, Sajid Nadiadwala’s Housefull 5 has finally hit theatres, promising a rollercoaster of confusion, comedy, and chaos. Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, this fifth installment of the wildly popular Housefull franchise stays loyal to its roots—madcap misunderstandings, multiple lookalikes, identity swaps, loud humor, and a grand ensemble cast that leans into the absurdity. The question is: does the franchise still have gas in the tank, or are we watching a recycled ride?
The film sets the scene in London, where five couples are preparing for a luxurious destination wedding at a palace-turned-resort. Everything seems to be going smoothly—until the grooms start behaving oddly. Then come their lookalikes. And the exes. And the mistaken identities. What follows is a manic swirl of chaos, secrets, accidental weddings, switched suitcases, and even ghostly encounters. Yes, ghosts are in the mix this time, too. There’s no real “plot” in the conventional sense—more like a domino effect of comic errors stitched together with grand dance numbers and royal backdrops. If you’ve seen any of the previous Housefull films, you’ll feel like you’ve walked into a familiar circus with some new clowns.
The movie banks heavily on its ensemble cast, and rightly so. Akshay Kumar, returning as the lead, once again proves why he remains the face of this franchise. His comic timing, physical humor, and sheer ability to look ridiculous and own it make him a standout. Riteish Deshmukh, another Housefull regular, also gets the best of the punchlines and shares great chemistry with Akshay. New additions like Varun Dhawan and Pooja Hegde attempt to blend in with the over-the-top world, and they manage well, especially Varun, who seems to channel his Judwaa 2 energy here. Kriti Sanon, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Sanjay Dutt (yes, Sanju Baba is part of the fun now) add glam and chaos in equal measure. However, with so many characters and subplots, many of them get shortchanged. Some jokes fall flat simply because they’re repeated across too many characters.
Director Tarun Mansukhani seems to understand that the Housefull franchise is not meant to be dissected or taken seriously. The film is loud, exaggerated, and completely self-aware. It doesn’t pretend to be intelligent comedy—it’s unapologetically slapstick. That said, the writing often borders on lazy. So many of the jokes feel recycled from similar films, and the 2nd part of the movie drags quite a bit with pointless subplots! There are some genuinely laugh-out-loud funny parts, especially the mistaken identity theme and a running joke with a family cursed to be royal, but the movie should have been trimmed by at least 20 minutes.
The film features three big musical numbers, all mounted on a lavish scale. “Shaadi Ka Tadka” and “London Le Chalein” are foot-tapping party numbers that will surely do well on reels and wedding playlists. The costumes are flashy, the sets are gigantic, and the visuals are colorful. There’s no holding back when it comes to production. Cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee ensures that every frame looks big and bold, even if the content sometimes doesn’t justify the scale.
Housefull 5 is exactly what it promises to be: a loud, chaotic, no-brainer comedy that caters to the masses. If you’re a fan of the franchise, you’ll find enough here to make you chuckle and groan in equal measure. If you’re looking for logic or depth, well, you’ve walked into the wrong movie. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it knows how to spin it with style. The ensemble cast saves the day even when the story wobbles. And for a franchise that has lasted this long, that in itself is a kind of cinematic miracle.
Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
Housefull 5 is a guilty pleasure—flawed, flashy, and funny in doses. Come for Akshay Kumar’s antics, stay for the absurdity, and don’t forget to leave your logic at the door.
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