Housefull 5 Movie Review Live Updates: Akshay Kumar film hits screens with two different endings

Indian Express

06-06-2025

Housefull 5 Movie Review, Rating and Release Live Updates: The ensemble comedy Housefull 5 has finally hit theatres. With the classic whodunit theme at the centre of its narrative, the movie boasts a cast which even overshadows its previous iterations. Besides Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Abhishek Bachchan, the film also features stars like Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Chitrangada Singh, Fardeen Khan, Chucky Panday, Johny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Dino Morea, and Ranjeet Bedi. Apart from the stellar cast, which will surely help bring in the audience, the filmmakers have another trick up their sleeve with this particular movie.
Housefull 5 will have two different endings for the audience, and each will reveal a different killer in the climax. This move can help double down on the numbers, as curious fans might end up going to watch the film twice in different theatres. Many times the filmmakers release a different ending or a deleted scene after the movie's theatrical run, and fans surely take a lot of interest in seeing what scene made it from the drawing board to cameras but couldn't reach the screen. On the other hand, it could also backfire because the identity of the killer will be revealed at the very end; hence, in order to actually experience the two different endings, the film needs to hold the audience together for the entire film two times over.
SCREEN spoke to trade experts to gauge Housefull 5's expected box office trajectory, and many believe that Housefull 5 could be the film that could turn things around for Akshay Kumar. Film exhibitor Akkshay Rathie said, 'Akshay's brand value, of course, can pull the audience to theatres. It hasn't been the greatest run in recent times, but it's just a question of one film that will turn the fortune around. It has happened to so many actors. Before Wanted was released, Salman Khan had a few films that didn't do well, but after Wanted, there was no looking back. Even Shahid Kapoor had 10 films that didn't work till Sooraj Barjatiya's Vivah happened; after that, he had a thriving career. For Akshay, it's a question of one film, and hopefully Housefull 5 is that film which might make his fortune turn.'
Another trade expert, Joginder Tuteja, highlighted the fact that the previous four Housefull movies have performed tremendously at the box office and that Housefull 5 is very much on its way to repeat history. He said, 'Akshay's brand value when it comes to this franchise is impeccable. Sajid Nadiadwala has delivered four successes in a row with Housefull, so the fifth part is a very hot property. The songs have done well, and the trailer has worked well. Of course, there is an Eid factor, but as seen in the past, holiday or no holiday, if the film is something the audience is waiting for, then it will definitely take a good opening, and that will be the case here as well.'
Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, Housefull 5 is already performing better at the box office than Akshay Kumar's previous film Kesari 2. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the courtroom drama only managed Rs 3 crore in advance bookings, including block seats, while Housefull 5 has already crossed the Rs 9 crore mark, with over 2.7 lakh tickets sold. The movie will be hoping to leave a mark during its theatrical run while competing with Mani Ratnam's Thug Life, starring Kamal Haasan, Trisha Krishnan, Silambarasan TR, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Nassar and Ali Fazal.