Mumbai, June 6 : 'Housefull 5,' the latest installment in the popular comedy franchise, has opened to a mix of reactions from audiences.

While viewers have praised Akshay Kumar's engaging performance and the film's entertaining moments, many have expressed concerns over a weak and underdeveloped plot. For a significant section of the audience, 'Housefull 5' delivers exactly what it promised: high-energy comedy and over-the-top characters. Several moviegoers shared glowing feedback about the film's entertainment value.

One moviegoer told IANS, 'This is a very good movie. Everyone should come to the theatre to watch it,' said one enthusiastic viewer. 'We didn't want to miss even a single scene'we felt that during the interval.' Another audience member echoed similar sentiments, praising the film's Bollywood roots. 'Superb! This is a true Bollywood masala film. People say we're only watching South Indian films or remakes, but this one brings back that classic Bollywood vibe. Five stars from me!'

From audiences' perspectives, the film's biggest draw remains its star-studded cast and comedic flair. 'It was a great movie! They should go on with Housefull 6 and 7 too,' another moviegoer said. 'The songs were enjoyable'even if I didn't understand what 'Lal Pari' meant. Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff's entry scenes were powerful, and the background score, especially 'Veer Nahi Khal Nayak,' really stood out.'

Akshay Kumar's return to comedy has been one of the film's most celebrated aspects. Audiences were particularly vocal about his screen presence and timing. 'Akshay sir's comeback is the biggest thing,' said a viewer. 'We were waiting for him to return in a comic role since Housefull 4, and he finally delivered. He carried the entire film, and rightfully so, he had the most screen time. And when Nana Patekar joins in, it's like a double treat. The film won't bore you at all!'

Another said, 'In one word'outstanding! I was tired of watching Akshay in serious, patriotic roles. This film brings him back to where he belongs.'

Despite the enthusiastic response from the audience, not all viewers were impressed. Some felt the movie lacked the charm of earlier installments in the franchise.

'I've seen the previous Housefull movies, but this one didn't work for me,' said a disappointed viewer. He added, 'The film was hyped a lot, and while Akshay is a great actor and the production is grand, the story and screenplay were really weak.'

Others pointed out that the film strayed too far from its comedic roots. 'Earlier films had a good mix of comedy and some quirky horror or fantasy elements,' one reviewer said. 'But this time, the focus on a murder mystery dulls the humor. The comedy just falls flat.' There were also criticisms directed at the performances. One of the audience members mentioned, 'Except for Johnny Lever, Nana Patekar, Sanjay Dutt, and Jackie Shroff, most of the cast overacted. Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Fardeen Khan, and the female leads like Nargis Fakhri, Sonam Bajwa, and Jacqueline didn't bring much depth.'

'Housefull 5' features an impressive ensemble cast, including Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Chitrangada Singh, Fardeen Khan, Chunky Pandey, Johnny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Ranjeet, Soundarya Sharma, Nikitin Dheer, and Akashdeep Sabir.

Directed by Tarun Mansukhani and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, the comedy-drama hit theatres today, on June 6.

/IANS