‘Housefull 5’ Movie Review: Akshay Kumar Overshadows All in This Sleazier, Sillier Comic Murder Mystery (LatestLY Exclusive)

Housefull 5 Movie Review: A disclaimer - I watched the A version of Housefull 5 that hits cinemas with two alternate climaxes, each revealing a different ‘killer’. I won’t spoil anything for you, but if the other climax somehow makes this ensemble comic murder mystery more bearable - or logical— - then, well, I apologise if I am not able to change the review here. Though I am fairly certain the other version won't make things any better. Fact Check: Akshay Kumar’s ‘Housefull 5’ Is NOT the First Movie in World To Have Multiple Endings in Theatres – There Are Others!

Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, who finally gets a big-screen release after 2008’s Dostana, Housefull 5 features a large ensemble cast and, this time, a murder mystery set on a luxury cruise liner. The film opens with a doctor (Akashdeep Sabir) being killed by someone in a mask. It then shifts back to an earlier timeline, when billionaire tycoon Ranjeet (played by Ranjeet), owner of the cruise ship, dies of a heart attack on board. Before passing, he bequeaths his entire fortune to his illegitimate son, Jolly - whom no one has seen.

Enter three Jollys: Julius (Akshay Kumar), Jalaluddin (Riteish Deshmukh), and Jalbhushan (Abhishek Bachchan), who claim to be his son and each accompanied by their respective spouses (Nargis Fakhri, Sonam Bajwa, and Jacqueline Fernandez). While the mystery of who the real Jolly is unfolds, the doctor meant to perform DNA tests is murdered (as seen in the prologue). Suspicion falls on the three Jollys, but there are many others aboard who also seem equally shady: Ranjeet’s stepson and board member Dev (Fardeen Khan); three other board members - Shiraz (Shreyas Talpade), Maya (Chitrangda Singh), and Bedi (Dino Morea); Ranjeet’s voluptuous lawyer Lucy (Soundarya Sharma); the cruise chef Aakhri Pasta (Chunky Panday); security chief Batuk Patel (Johnny Lever); and the ship’s captain, Sameer (Nikitin Dheer).

Watch the Trailer of 'Housefull 5':

More characters arrive later, including London cops Bhiddu (Sanjay Dutt) and Baba (Jackie Shroff). Another murder occurs, and suddenly everyone’s a suspect.

'Housefull 5' Movie Review - Loyal to Its Brand

The Housefull franchise, I believe, is niche in its own way. These films have been box office hits, and an emotion-devoid me have seen people laugh their hearts out in cinemas, including during Housefull 5. Yet, for reasons best known to audiences, these films rarely make it to the top of anyone’s list of Bollywood comedies. Even if you ask someone their favourite Akshay Kumar comedy, and they’ll probably name Hera Pheri, Welcome, or Bhool Bhulaiyaa - never Housefull. Which is why I say this franchise, with its brand of lowbrow humour, caters to a guilty-pleasure audience - people who still find it funny to laugh at someone being repeatedly banged on the… err… balls, slapped by monkeys, or attacked by a parakeet that flies straight into someone’s mouth.

Before the film released, the makers proudly claimed it was the world’s only movie with two climaxes shown in different cinemas. It’s not - that’s a gimmick borrowed from the 1985 movie Clue. And that’s not the only Hollywood inspiration here. There’s a stretch where the Jollys and their wives wake up after drinking spiked alcohol, unable to recall the previous night - a clear nod to The Hangover. A scene with the trio dragging around Ranjeet’s corpse is straight out of Weekend at Bernie’s. If I’m not mistaken, there’s even a brief sequence in a lab that seems like a cheeky homage to the raptor kitchen scene from Jurassic Park. There are also gags borrowed from The Other Guys and even a Key and Peele sketch. I wouldn’t say Housefull 5 has lifted these scenes straightaway, but it certainly borrows liberally for its brand of situational humour - some of which lands, but most of which doesn’t. ‘Housefull 5’: Fact Check – Is Akshay Kumar’s ‘Housefull’ Really India’s First Five-Film Franchise? Bengali, Malayalam and Even Bollywood Cinema Say Otherwise!

That said, Housefull 5 isn’t completely devoid of good gags. An interrogation scene where the two cops separately - and then jointly - question the three Jollys is quite funny, especially the spoof of The Usual Suspects. The “Chhoti bachchi ho kya?” callback (shown in the trailer) got laughs, and there are a couple of clever visual gags - like naming Ranjeet’s cruise liner after his iconic catchphrase.

'Housefull 5' Movie Review - Sleaze Galore

But for the most part, the humour sticks to the Housefull formula - too lowbrow, too loud, too hard on itself to make an unfunny joke work and too reliant on slapstick, even when it’s not needed. If, after five films, you still think Aakhri Pasta is hilarious, this movie is definitely your jam - even though the character doesn’t do much in the second half (like many others here).

You’re not expected to apply logic to a film like this, but some gags stretch disbelief beyond breaking point, like Johnny Lever’s character walking into the wrong room thinking it’s a sauna just so we can have a 'naked' joke here. And yes, there are racist jokes - another Housefull staple - with even Nepalis not spared this time. The film also throws back to earlier entries, featuring animal attacks and even a photo cameo of a character from Housefull 2.

Also, this time, the ‘humour’ even veers into Masti territory. Soundarya Sharma’s character is repeatedly sexualised, with male characters ogling her cleavage and other private parts and cracking inappropriate jokes. In one scene, Jacqueline, Nargis, and Sonam crawl through a vent, with the camera lingering just enough on their skimpily clad bodies. Another gag has a corpse’s face shoved into a woman’s cleavage. For a movie called Housefull, it certainly has no room for feminism. Akshay Kumar’s Whodunnits: Before ‘Housefull 5’, 5 Murder Mystery Movies Where Bollywood Superstar Took the Lead and Where To Stream Them Online.

'Housefull 5' Movie Review -  Akshay Kumar Shines the Most

The cast seems instructed to go all-out with the over-the-top material, and those with natural comic timing fare best. Unsurprisingly, Akshay Kumar gets the most room to shine, with his rubber-faced expressions, sporadic wisecracks, and ability to steal scenes from an entire ballroom of cast members. Riteish Deshmukh comes closest to matching him - unsurprising, since they’ve been doing this together across five films. Abhishek Bachchan tries hard but, like in Housefull 3, keeps falling short, mostly feeling like a third wheel asked to tag along with a promise of something worthwhile ahead.

Jackie Shroff and Sanjay Dutt have more to do, and while they give it a solid try, comedy isn’t exactly their strongest suit. Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri, and Sonam Bajwa dip into the comic chaos but mostly play ‘dumb bimbo’ roles dressed up in eye-candy costumes. Shreyas Talpade gets a few moments early on to show off his comic chops but is quickly sidelined. Fardeen Khan gives a stilted performance in a straight role; the same goes for Chitrangda Singh and Dino Morea, who feel underused. Chunky Panday and Johnny Lever’s antics are no longer funny, just repetitive.

Nana Patekar turns up in the third act as an Interpol officer and boss of Bhiddu and Baba. While he delivers what’s expected and even indulges in some buffoonery during the “Phugdi” song, his role feels more like a star-cameo addition to an already overstuffed cast than a real necessity - especially with two cops and a private detective already on board.

'Housefull 5' Movie Review - The Killer Reveal

That brings me to the murder mystery angle, which sets Housefull 5 apart from its predecessors. Is it any good? If your benchmark is whether it keeps you guessing the killer till the end, then yes - it might work for you. But if you’re hoping for anything remotely clever, you’ll be disappointed. The mystery often gets buried under the weight of the film’s relentless need for slapstick. One scene has Julius investigating a crime scene, only to be attacked by two CGI monkeys that appear out of nowhere on the cruise ship. And just when the story is nearing its reveal, the jokes keep dragging the film down. The madcap climax is half amusing.

Technically, Housefull 5 looks good. The cruise ship setting lends the film a rich visual appeal, and the production design is sleek. The songs are passable, though "Lal Pari" is undeniably catchy.

'Housefull 5' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Housefull 5 is exactly what it sets out to be - an unapologetically over-the-top slapstick comedy, with a murder mystery thrown in, that throws logic overboard and sails on weak gags, dull gimmicks, and groans. It’s loud, sleazy, occasionally funny, and frequently exhausting - but somehow barely watchable, mostly thanks to its genre switch and Akshay's performance.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2025 03:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).