The first official trailer of Housefull 5 is out, delivering the franchise’s signature chaos - this time with a masked killer in the mix. Directed by Tarun Mansukhani and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, the film boasts an ensemble cast including Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri, Sonam Bajwa, Fardeen Khan, Johnny Lever, Dino Morea, Ranjeet, Chitrangda Singh, Shreyas Talpade, Chunky Pandey, and Nana Patekar, among others. ‘Housefull 5’ Trailer: Jollys Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Abhishek Bachchan Battle To Be the ‘Asli Haqdaar’ of Papa Ranjeet’s Property in This Chaos-Filled Comedy Film (Watch Video).

As hinted in the earlier teaser, the film is largely set on a cruise ship where an unidentified masked killer begins murdering passengers. The trailer also reveals a subplot where three heroes - played by Akshay, Riteish, and Abhishek - wake up to find their partners swapped after drinking spiked beverages. Chunky Pandey’s Aakhri Pasta adds to the madness, while Riteish attempts a Weekend at Bernie’s-style gag with Ranjeet’s body (that gag was also borrowed in Priyadarshan’s Hulchul climax).

True to Housefull tradition, the trailer packs in over-the-top humour: Akshay Kumar’s rubber-faced antics earn him slaps from two monkeys, while Jackie Shroff gets away with the funniest line in the trailer by delivering a twisted version of his son Tiger Shroff’s iconic "Choti bachchi ho kya?" line. Housefull 5 Song ‘Qayamat’ Out: Neeraj Shridhar Makes Stunning With ‘Qayamat’ From Akshay Kumar-Starrer Upcoming Film.

Watch the Trailer of 'Housefull 5':

A Nod to Malayali Cinema?

One plotline, however, might feel familiar to Malayali audiences raised on Mohanlal films. The trailer shows Akshay, Riteish, and Abhishek each claiming to be Jolly, the long-lost son of a wealthy deceased man (played by Ranjeet), entitled to his inheritance.

This mirrors the 1989 Malayalam film Lal Americayil, starring Mohanlal. Directed by Sathyan Anthikad (whose next project, Hridayapoorvam, also features Mohanlal), the film was scripted by the late Cochin Haneefa, who also acted in it. Set entirely in the US, Lal Americayil follows a rich man (Prem Nazir) who loses his five-year-old son, Babu, and spends years waiting for his return. Before his death, he willed his entire estate to Babu. When his lawyer advertises for the missing heir, three men (Mohanlal, Cochin Haneefa, and Jagathy Sreekumar) arrive, each claiming to be Babu. After passing a series of identity tests, a twist reveals the rich man faked his death to lure his son back.

(Lal Americayil is available to watch for free on YouTube.)

But there's a twist here, too - Lal Americayil's plot feels inspired by a 1969 Hindi movie, Waris!

A Still From Waris

The film, starring Jeetendra and Hema Malini, tells the story of an ailing king searching for his long-lost heir. Three men subsequently arrive, each claiming to be the missing prince.

Now for another twist - Waris itself is a remake of the 1967 Tamil film Naan, featuring Ravichandran, Jayalalithaa (who later became Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister), Muthuraman, and Nagesh. Director Ramanna, who helmed Naan, had also overseen the Hindi adaptation.

This revelation leaves us uncertain about which film actually inspired Housefull 5. Interestingly, earlier Housefull instalments also drew inspiration from other movies. Housefull (2010) was loosely based on the 1998 Tamil comedy Kaathala Kaathala. Housefull 2 (2012) reworked the plot of the 1998 Malayalam film Mattupetti Machan.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 27, 2025 04:05 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).