Housefull 3 Review

The Housefull franchise is known for being a crowd pleaser with no apparent regard for the intelligence of the audience. It is not supposed to make sense. You go to the theatre willingly, spend your money willingly knowing fully well what’s in store, and then come out laughing (or not?). So when the third part of the franchise comes out, it fills you with hope that it will be a laugh buster. Does it stick to the formula of the franchise and is it funny? Do the new directors of the franchise – Sajid-Farhad deliver? Time to find out.

Story: Batuk Patel (Boman Irani) has 3 daughters and lives in London with them. They are dumb bimbettes Gracy, Jenny and Sarah (Jacqueline Fernandes, Lisa Haydon and Nargis Fakhri). They have put their father under the impression that they are traditional Indian stereotypical daughters. But things go haywire when they fall in love with Sandy, Teddy and Bunty (Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Abhishek Bachchan). The three young men want to get rich quick and resort to absolutely insane methods to get rich. Story-wise, expectedly, there’s nothing much although there are humorous side stories involving Sandy’s dream to play in the EPL, Bunny’s vulgar rapping skills and Teddy’s wish to be a racer.

Screenplay and Direction: Director Sajid Khan has been replaced in the franchise he created by Sajid-Farhad who have written movies like Golmaal, Chennai Express, Dilwale and directed Entertainment. Housefull 3 is funny if you’re in the mood for such humour and if you decide to not nitpick much. Yes, it is derogatory to a lot of demographics but that comes with the territory of such films. It has some genuinely funny laugh-out-loud moments but Sajid-Farhad aren’t able to keep up the same tempo throughout the movie. The film falters after the interval and then picks up pace towards the climax (which moves at breakneck speed and is hilarious).

The cinematography and production design of Housefull 3 gives the film a big canvas and makes it look like a big budget movie. It is shot rather well. The editing is also tight, and the visual effects are decent. The girls look ravishing and the boys look smart. Housefull 3 doesn’t have chartbuster music but the music doesn’t hinder the movie. Songs like Fake Ishq, Pyaar ki Maa ki, and Taang Uthake make the film flow and doesn’t impede the pace. They are harmless but unnecessary.

Acting: Akshay Kumar is the the clear star attraction in this ensemble movie. He seems to be having the time of his life (a break from comedy movies must have helped). His comic-timing, like always, is the best among lead actors in the industry. Abhishek Bachchan is deadpan funny but his Nandu Bhide remains untouched. Riteish is at his comedic best. Boman Irani and Chunky Pandey do their best and so does Jackie Shroff. The girls don’t have a lot to do and it’s funny how the makers know that and utilise them well.

Conclusion: If you expect a fun movie devoid of any logic and if you aren’t offended by silly jokes, then Housefull 3 should be right up your alley. However, if you expect intelligent writing, smart puns and logical gags – don’t even think of watching the film. Ditto for the ‘over smart’ pseudo intellectuals, who purchase tickets knowing what to expect – yet complain about the ‘IQ’ levels of the film.

All in all, Housefull 3 sticks to the basics of the franchise and follows the formula to the tee without overdoing the zaniness. If you are a fan of the franchise, then go watch Housefull 3.

Pros:

• It sticks to the hit formula
• The lead actors are in fine form with special mention going to Akshay Kumar
• The production design and cinematography is high class
• The music is harmless

Cons:

• The pace falls off in the second half
• All the gags aren’t funny
• The actresses have nothing to do

Rating: