Housefull 5 Opens Strong with ₹22 Cr Day 1, But Trails Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3
Housefull 5, Akshay Kumar‘s comedic extravaganza, had a wonky release in cinemas with significant occupancy and walk-ins, manifesting in an early estimate of ₹22 crore on Day 1 (gross). While this is the largest opening day for the franchise, it falls below Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 of ₹24.50 crore Day 1, even given the fact that Housefull 5 opened as a solo and had a larger ensemble cast.
Strong but not unexpected: ₹22 cr opening for Housefull 5
By Friday evening (4:15 PM), Housefull 5 had already notched ₹8.40 crore from national chains, with final Day 1 estimates settling around ₹22 crore gross. It’s now the biggest non-holiday opener for a Bollywood comedy and surpasses Housefull 4’s Day 1 (₹17.50 crore).
Even with the jump, industry insiders are surprised Housefull 5 (with Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, and Sanjay Dutt) wasn’t able to outdo Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’s opening (which didn’t have the same number of stars or screens).
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 still leads in power of opening
Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 was fronted by Kartik Aaryan, who filmed a staggering ₹24.50 crore nett Day 1 occurrences earlier this year — that Housefull 5’s did not match, even as Housefull 5 launched as a solo weekend (and a brand legacy of four films in a series).
This raises some key questions:
Is the Housefull franchise in decline, or was the marketing forced out of experiencing peak levels of interest?
Many suppose the likely answer lies in the ground-level momentum and advance bookings Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is enjoying prior to its release.
Ground Level Growth Across Screens
While the coverage via digital mediums for Housefull 5 has been a bit mixed, the overall theatre level has performed much better than anticipated. Reports from exhibitors show increased occupancy at single screens and non-national chains:
- Liberty (Delhi) – 858 by the matinee show
- Regent (Patna) – 613 by afternoon
- Raj Mandir (Jaipur) – 868 admits in 3.15 PM show
The early family footfalls are also showing up for late evening shows, which is a positive indicator going into Saturday work.
Franchise Firsts, More Industry Expectations
Housefull 5 opened better than all other franchise openers and is now the biggest single-day opener for an Akshay Kumar comedy. That said, with the massive star cast and the lack of a box office threat, expectations for the opening were ₹25 crore+.
➤ Also Read: SHOCKING: Housefull 5 Fails To Beat Even Flops Like Sikandar, BMCM In Advance Bookings; Mission Impossible 8 Was 75% Higher!
Box Office Worldwide Verdict
Akshay Kumar’s Housefull 5 opened well, albeit not loudly. The film officially opened better with marks than previous franchise measurements but still just missed Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3‘s opening while enjoying the benefit of every wrong thing possible. There is a welcome with fatigue associated with the brand and the added pressure of the weekend attached. The franchise will need laughs through the figures translation to legs.
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