Housefull 5, the latest instalment in the long-running comedy franchise, kicked off its theatrical journey with an impressive collection of Rs 24.35 crore nett on its opening day on Friday, the makers claimed on Saturday.
This marks the third-highest opening day collection for a Hindi film this year, after Chhaava (Rs 31 crore nett) and Sikandar (Rs 26 crore nett). Housefull 5 has surpassed the first-day collection of Akshay Kumar’s previous outing, Kesari Chapter 2, which earned Rs 7.75 crore nett on Day 1, according to industry data-tracking portal Sacnilk.
Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, Housefull 5 was released in two versions — Housefull 5A and Housefull 5B — with the former registering a better theatrical performance. Housefull 5A saw a 28.88 per cent overall occupancy on Friday. Housefull 5B posted a modest 16 per cent occupancy.
Housefull 5 revolves around a chaotic ensemble of imposters staking claim to the inheritance of a deceased billionaire aboard a luxury cruise ship. The film’s ensemble cast includes Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, and Nana Patekar.
With the weekend ahead, along with a holiday on Saturday for Eid, trade analysts predict a further surge in collections, as the film rides high on the franchise’s fanbase and mass appeal.
Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan’s much-anticipated gangster saga Thug Life, directed by Mani Ratnam, saw a steep decline on its second day at the box office. After opening to Rs 15.5 crore nett on Day 1, the film earned just Rs 7.5 crore nett on Day 2 — a sharp 54 per cent drop — bringing its total Indian collection to Rs 23 crore nett.
Despite a decent performance in Tamil-speaking regions, with a 31.41 per cent occupancy on Friday, Thug Life failed to sustain momentum in other languages. Its Telugu version recorded a muted 14.17 per cent occupancy, while the Hindi version struggled with a dismal 6.48 per cent occupancy.
Thug Life tells the story of Sakthivel, a mafia kingpin played by Haasan, who rescues and raises a young boy named Amaran amidst a deadly police shootout. The ensemble cast includes Silambarasan TR, Trisha Krishnan, Abhirami, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Ashok Selvan, Joju George, Nassar, Ali Fazal and Mahesh Manjrekar.