Does 'Housefull 5' success reinstate the fact that mass comedies always lure the audience? Would the film have done better if it didn't steer towards adult comedy? Trade experts discuss!

Time of India

a day ago

'Housefull 5' has been doing exceptionally well in theatres ever since it released. The film had a good opening but it was the growth over the weekend which was further encouraging.
The industry is indeed celebrating as it's been a great May and June also began on a good note. While 'Housefull' is a big brand and one had expected the fifth installment to do well, it was a franchise started 15 years ago. One would expect the taste of the audience to change. But seemingly, the success of the film is a testament to the fact that mass comedies will never really go out of fashion. Will they always attract the audience? ETimes discusses this with trade experts.
However, there's also another element to the film this time around. 'Housefull' as a franchise was always known to be a family entertainer, but this time around it has gone into the adult comedy and thriller space. The film also had two different climaxes - thus there were two versions of the film - 'Housefull 5A', and 'Housefull 5B' playing in theatres.
Do the box office numbers of 'Housefull 5' prove that mass comedies will always lure?
Up till Wednesday evening, the total collection of 'Housefull 5' in India is Rs 116.62 crore according to Sacnilk.
It has continued to remain steady over the weekdays. Trade expert Taran Adarsh says, "A well-made mass entertainer will always find an audience. I repeat, 'A well made mass entertainer.' And this time there's comedy with suspense, a tadka. That has worked. Of course, 'Housefull' is a brand so many factors have come together to make it a success in the initial days.
But it's an expensive film. So, let's see how it goes beyond that."
He further added, "Having said that, I think the people have, the audience has liked it. Yes there is a section which has not liked it, but that's okay. That happens with every film. But I feel that this film has brought back audiences in a very big way."
Exhibitor Akshaye Rathi opines, "I's a fact that never needed reinstating. It was always an established fact. The only thing that the only reason we didn't have enough of these happening was because we didn't have directors who are compatible enough and who understand the mass comedy genre well enough.
Every Rohit Shetty film, 'Golmaa', or every 'Dhamaal' has done well. I don't think this is something that needed any establishing.
And even, let's say, a film like Stree, it was also a mass comedy in its essence. So, it's a genre that is always traditionally done well if it manages to cast a wide enough net in terms of its appeal through the length and breadth of the country. Sadly, we don't have enough filmmakers who have the ability to really do that efficiently enough.And if we can do that, it's a genre that will always continue to do well.
Escapism is what the majority of the Indian moviegoers look for when they go for the movies. And that is something that this genre provides in abundance."
Factors that worked in the favour of the film
Film trade expert Girish Wankhede further elaborated on the various factors that worked for the movie. He said, "The marketing strategy for Housefull 5 has proven effective, especially considering the lack of competition from other Hindi films during its release. This absence of rival films has allowed it to capitalize on its strong franchise history. The film's success can largely be attributed to its star-studded cast, with
Akshay Kumar
leading the ensemble.
His presence alone has drawn audiences, and the film's larger-than-life narrative, combined with its well-executed humor and engaging storyline, has resonated with viewers. The franchise's established reputation also plays a crucial role in its box office performance, as fans of the previous installments were eager to see how this new chapter unfolds. The franchise's established reputation also plays a crucial role in its box office performance, as fans of the previous installments were eager to see how this new chapter unfolds.
Overall, the combination of a talented cast and the enduring appeal of the franchise has contributed to the success."
Would it have done better if if avoid the adult comedy element?
Many trade experts and film business tracking websites like Box Office India have said that the film could have done even better if it had stuck to its 'family comedy' element. Some have also criticised the adult comedy elements in the film and the objectification of the heroines in the movie. Did that shift from a family entertainer to bits of adult comedy work as a dampener? Taran Adarsh says, "I'm of the same opinion.
I am not a fan of adult comedy or naughty jokes. But when I went for the film, I did not expect that. But there was some of it sprinkled here and there, but I generally feel that a lot of jokes are nice also. Barring a few things here and there, I think the audience has kind of accepted it."
Wankhede says, Housefull 5 could have achieved even greater success if it had not leaned so heavily into the adult comedy genre. Many of the jokes in this installment come across as crude and lack the refined humor that audiences have come to expect from the franchise.
The Housefull franchise has traditionally been known as a family-friendly franchise, and unfortunately, this film seems to have strayed from that core identity.
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He added, "The heart and soul of the film appear to be misaligned, resulting in a product that may alienate its core audience. The essence of a true family entertainer lies in its ability to bring people together, allowing them to enjoy a shared experience at the cinema.
However, with the adult-themed humor prevalent in this installment, many families may feel discouraged from attending, leading to a restricted audience base.
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Rathi notes, "Partially, yes. And partially, no. You know, the family films of today, if you look at it, aren't essentially the kinds which used to be family films in the Rajshri definition of it, where multiple generations of the same family are going together and watching films.
Now, there are scenarios where one generation of the same family goes and watches it with their friends and another generation of the same family goes and watches it with their friends.
So, that is a pretty common phenomenon in this day and age. I'm sure with the kind of numbers that we are looking at at the box office for Housefull, that is happening. But having said that, yes, I mean, the wider net you cast intrinsically, the appeal is always larger.
And I'm sure that there will be comedies going ahead that can be made in the space where the entire family across generations can go and watch them. And there are comedies like that are being made with the Golmaals and Dhamaals."
Girish Wankhede further concludes, "This figure is respectable, it pales in comparison to the potential earnings the film could have generated had it adhered to a more family-oriented approach. A well-crafted script with clean, clever comedy could have resonated with a broader audience, drawing families to theaters and significantly enhancing its box office performance."