In a bold experiment with the aim of re -starting one of Bollywood’s biggest comedy franchise, the makers of ‘Housefull 5’ decided to surprise the audience by releasing two different versions of the film, with a unique end with each of which. However, gambling does not pay at the box office – at least not yet.
According to initial estimates, the film managed to rake only Rs 13.81 crore on opening on Friday despite release on 7018 screens across India. This includes 4074 screens for ‘Housefull 5A’ and 2944 screens for ‘Housefull 5B’.
Two versions, a big confusion?
While the origin of the film is the same for the first two hours, the last 20 minful in Housefull 5A and Housefull 5B changes at a separate end. The audience was expected to join the format, perhaps both versions also see – but instead, it has created confusion.
Both versions of the film were made available with a ticket label, but many spectators expressed online dissatisfaction, questioning the need for several ends. Some spectators reported that the ends reveal different killers, and the reactions have been mixed – some prioritize the first version and find others “darker”.
Mixed audience reactions and low occupancy
Despite a star-stacked actors including Akshay Kumar, Ritish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri and Sonam Bajwa, the film has seen a lower occupancy rate in the film. According to data from the industry tracker Sacnilk, ‘Housefull 5A’ allegedly had a overall occupation of 20.93%, while 5B lagged behind with just 10.76%.
Even in addition to comedy veterans like Johnny Lever, Ranjit, Jackie Shroff and Shreyas Talpade, the film has struggled to join with its audience.
Will it end Akshay Kumar’s dry mantra?
Akshay Kumar, whose last appearance was in ‘Kesari 2’, has been looking for a commercial hit for some time. Unfortunately, the brilliant opening figures of Housefull 5 and a mixed response to its experimental format raises questions about whether this installment will break their recent streak of underperforming films.
As the social media fills the audience’s response, a feeling is clear: dual-end format can be more favorable for an OTT release. “They could release a separate version on the OTT,” a user commented, echoing the ideas of many shocked fans.
