Housefull 5 Review: Akshay Kumar’s Comedy-Crime Caper Is a Mindless Mayhem
The Housefull franchise has always walked a fine line between absurdist comedy and plain absurdity. In its fifth installment, however, that line is thoroughly erased. Housefull 5, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by Tarun Mansukhani (Dostana, Drive), dives headfirst into chaotic slapstick and emerges with little more than a bloated, confused attempt at humor.
Set aboard a luxury cruise ship, the film begins with a murder during the 100th birthday celebrations of one of the UK’s wealthiest tycoons. As more bodies pile up, the mystery thickens. A pair of suspended British-Indian cops and an eccentric Interpol chief (played by Nana Patekar) arrive on board, but instead of uncovering a compelling whodunit, we’re subjected to a parade of nonsensical twists.
What follows is an all-out free-for-all involving not one, but three men all claiming to be “Jolly” — the heir to the deceased tycoon’s fortune — each arriving with their respective partners. Akshay Kumar (Julius), Riteish Deshmukh (Jalabuddin), and Abhishek Bachchan (Jalbhushan) lead the madness, flanked by Sonam Bajwa, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Nargis Fakhri in roles that reduce them to ornamental props used mainly for songs and half-hearted gags.
The supporting cast – including Chitrangda Singh, Dino Morea, Fardeen Khan, Shreyas Talpade, and Johny Lever – attempt to salvage the shipwreck, but the writing offers no real anchor. The humor, when not groan-inducing, is stretched thin and mostly misses the mark. References to earlier Housefull films and nods to actors’ past roles (like Dutt’s Khalnayak tune or Nikitin Dheer’s Chennai Express callback) add some flair but feel more like desperate fan service than clever callbacks.
Boman Irani is absent, but Johny Lever steps in as the bumbling cruise security head, while Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff – hilariously named Bhiddu and Baba – only add to the already overstuffed ensemble. Nana Patekar, in full Marathi swagger, gets his own dance number with “Fugdi Fu,” offering the film’s few genuinely entertaining moments.
Despite its high energy and commitment to going all-out bonkers, Housefull 5 suffers from lazy writing, predictable gags, and a plot that sinks under its own weight. It’s a carnival of chaos that might appeal to hardcore fans of the franchise but offers little to those looking for smart or even coherent comedy.
If you’re willing to suspend all expectations and reason, you might find fleeting amusement in its madness. For the rest, it’s a test of patience masquerading as entertainment.
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Housefull 5 Review: Akshay Kumar’s Cruise Caper is Drowning in Nonsense
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Read our review of Housefull 5, the latest installment in the franchise starring Akshay Kumar. A chaotic cruise murder mystery laced with over-the-top gags, forced comedy, and zero logic.
