Housefull 5A and Housefull 5B ending explained: Who are the the killers in this Akshay Kumar-starrer?

Indian Express

18 hours ago

After almost six years, Sajid Nadiadwala released the fifth installment of his famous comedy franchise Housefull. While it became the first Bollywood film to have a fifth installment, it also made news for becoming first Hindi film to release with two endings as the makers wanted to give a more 'interactive' experience to their viewers. As a result, the Akshay Kumar-starrer was presented as Housefull 5A and Housefull 5B.
While the first two hours of the film are identical, the climax for both versions are different. The comedy is a murder mystery set on a cruise and the primary difference between both films is the identity of the killer. So if one wishes to watch both the endings, they will have to watch the first two hours twice over.
The movie begins with the character of Ranjeet (played by veteran actor Ranjeet), dying right before his 100th birthday and it is declared that his heir Jolly will inherit the property. The film then introduces three characters, Jalabuddin played by Riteish Deshmukh, Jalbhushan played by Abhishek Bachchan, and Julius played by Akshay Kumar, all claiming to be Jolly. However, after multiple murders take place in the cruise, it is revealed that none of these characters are the real Jolly. The plot presents a twist when Bobby Deol appears from nowhere at the end of the film and identifies himself as the real Jolly, dividing the money between all the characters and marrying Sonam Bajwa–don't ask why or how!
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While the film stays true to its theme with a house or in this case a cruise with too many characters, it becomes a mess when every character becomes a murder suspect. After showing chaos, drama, songs and blasts from the past, the makers in Housefull 5A reveal that Dev (played by Fardeen Khan), son of Ranjeet Dobriyal (played by Ranjeet) from his second wife is behind the murders along with his partner-in-crime Jolly 2 (played by Abhishek Bachchan).
Meanwhile, the second version of the film which is identical to the first version for almost 2 hours, brings a twist as it shows Maya (played by Chitrangada Singh), a board member of Ranjeet's empire as the real killer along with Jolly 2 (played by Abhishek Bachchan).
Out of over 7000 shows of the film, over 4000 shows end with climax A, whereas over 3000 shows end with climax B with both versions having a special appearance by Bobby Deol.
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The film, written and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, takes a dark turn unlike its previous installments where one murder leads to another. Both the endings have opened to mixed response with the film earning Rs 23 crore in India. Two different endings have also created a state of confusion among moviegoers. More than an interactive experience, the film with two endings leaves an impression that the makers were rather confused and and couldn't make up their mind about a distinct ending.
The film, directed by Tarun Mansukhani, stars Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, Nargis Fakri, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Chunky Panday, Johnny Lever, Dino Morea, Fardeen Khan, Chitrangada Singh, Soundarya Sharma, Nikitin Dheer, Shreyas Talpade, Nana Patekar, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, and Ranjeet, among others.