Akshay Kumar returned to the big screen with one of his most successful franchises, Housefull 5, promising laughter, chaos, and box office fireworks. However, despite an impressive opening weekend haul, the film fell short of key records that industry watchers had anticipated. With competition from other big releases and rising expectations from the comedy franchise, Housefull 5 finds itself at a crossroads—successful but not sensational.
Weekend Collection Breakdown
Let’s start with the numbers. Housefull 5 collected approximately:
- Day 1 (Friday): ₹24.35 crore
- Day 2 (Saturday): ₹32.38 crore
- Day 3 (Sunday): ₹35.10 crore
This brings the total weekend collection in India (net) to around ₹91.83 crore, with the worldwide gross touching ₹142.4 crore. While these numbers are solid, especially for a comedy release, they weren’t enough to create record-breaking history.
The 3 Major Records Housefull 5 Failed to Break
1. Biggest Opening Weekend of 2025
So far, Chhaava holds the top spot with a massive ₹121.43 crore in its first weekend. Housefull 5 came close but couldn’t topple it, finishing second for 2025. While it did surpass Sikandar (₹86.44 crore), the expectation was for the film to dominate the box office, not settle in the runner-up spot.
2. Akshay Kumar’s Highest Weekend Opener
Housefull 5 now ranks as the third-best opening weekend for Akshay Kumar. It failed to surpass:
- Mission Mangal – ₹97.56 crore
- 2.0 (Hindi version) – ₹97.25 crore
Given the franchise success and festive weekend support, many predicted Housefull 5 would be Akshay’s biggest opener. Instead, it landed just short of that milestone.
3. Top Comedy Franchise Opener
The Housefull series is India’s most commercially successful comedy franchise, yet Housefull 5 didn’t break records set by previous genre blockbusters. For comparison:
- Happy New Year opened at ₹108.86 crore
- Chennai Express crossed ₹100 crore in its first weekend
Housefull 5, despite being the franchise’s biggest in scale, missed the mark by a small but crucial margin.
What Worked for the Film
1. Festive Weekend Boost
The timing around Bakri Eid gave a much-needed push on Saturday and Sunday, helping Housefull 5 climb closer to the ₹100 crore line. Sunday alone contributed ₹35.10 crore—the highest single-day gross for any Housefull film.
2. Franchise Fan Base
This is the fifth installment of a wildly popular series. Loyal fans showed up in large numbers, especially in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where the comedy genre still draws massive footfalls.
3. Overseas Performance
Internationally, the film earned ₹38 crore in three days, and crossed the ₹1 million mark in North America, becoming Akshay Kumar’s 28th film to do so. This strong overseas presence adds weight to the film’s global performance.
What Held It Back
1. Mixed to Negative Reviews
Critics panned the film for its over-the-top humor, weak plot, and overused double-meaning jokes. Even fans of the franchise expressed disappointment online, calling it “rushed,” “repetitive,” and lacking freshness.
2. Tough Competition
With Chhaava, Sikandar, and Kalki 2898 AD either in theaters or in memory, audiences had more cinematic options. This diluted Housefull 5’s impact.
3. High Expectations
When you market something as “bigger, better, and crazier” than ever before, expectations are sky-high. Even a good performance can feel like a letdown if it doesn’t match the hype.
Audience & Social Media Reaction
Social media was a mixed bag:
- Some fans celebrated Akshay’s return to slapstick.
- Others called the film “tiring,” “loud,” and “too forced.”
- Memes and jokes about the film’s predictable humor trended on X (formerly Twitter) by Sunday evening.
The polarized reception shows that while Housefull 5 drew initial interest, it may not have lasting momentum without word-of-mouth support.
What Akshay Kumar Had to Say
While Akshay hasn’t directly commented on the record misses, fans recalled one of his older quotes making rounds online:
“Failures hurt, but don’t define you.”
The actor is known for taking risks and bouncing back with versatile roles, and this quote resonated with many disappointed yet loyal fans.
Looking Ahead: Can It Hold Through the Week?
While it didn’t shatter records, the film’s weekday performance will decide its long-term success. If it holds at ₹15–20 crore per day during the week, it may still enter the ₹200 crore club globally.
However, if weekday numbers fall below ₹10 crore, the film’s trajectory may quickly plateau.
Final Verdict
Housefull 5 is not a failure—it is a strong box office performer that simply didn’t live up to record-breaking hype. It delivered laughs, nostalgia, and festival-season energy. But it also highlighted the need for innovation in franchise films.
For Akshay Kumar, it’s another decent opener. For fans, it’s another comedy with familiar highs and lows. For the industry, it’s proof that even powerhouse brands must continue to evolve to capture attention in a crowded, demanding market.
