Housefull 4, Movie Review: Fine, This Akshay Kumar-Led Movie Ka Housefull Toh Ho Jayega

But...but...but... a lot more was expected from this Sajid Nadiadwala franchise starring Akshay Kumar, Kriti Sanon, Bobby Deol, Riteish Deshmukh, Kriti Kharbanda and Pooja Hegde in main roles

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Updated on Oct 25 2019, 13:10:04

Housefull 4, Movie Review: Fine, This Akshay Kumar-Led Movie Ka Housefull Toh Ho Jayega

So yeah, it makes you laugh. But you won't go lotpot. That's what's pinching me after coming out from Housefull 4. Give me its first three parts and I shall rate them higher.

Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol and Ritesh Deshmukh kick off the proceedings in a nice engaging way, but the steam is huff-puff once the cast, crew and story reach Sitamgarh.

A story of reincarnation and mixed identities whose origin stems from Akshay Kumar having glimpses of what happened in his life 600 years ago is fine, but what happens in Sitamgarh should have stayed in Sitamgarh and if not, shouldn't have been thrown out as at least a full-on 1-hour track. The storytelling tends to dip in that land of Rajas and Maharajas and by the time it recovers, a lot of time has been lost.

Post interval, the comic caper picks up again. The loose ends are quickly tied up. The editing become slicker just like at the start. The climax is quite hilarious.

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Akshay Kumar is bang on. He doesn't laugh but makes you laugh with poker-faced expressions- and that is the hallmark of a good actor. Ditto when he gets beaten up from left, right and centre (yeah, imagine Akshay being at the receiving end). Above all, his histrionics when he loses his memory (almost every 10 minutes, for a large part of the 2.5 hr run time) are something that will stay with you.

Bobby Deol is certainly leaving no stone unturned to revive his career. Riteish Deshmukh, as usual, is his natural self making you grin all the while.

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Kriti Sanon, Krtiti Kharbanda and Pooja Hegde are perfect foils to their male partners- in the first half when they're mixed and even in the second when they try to entangle.

Chunky Pandey impresses; he really needs to go beyond Aakhri Pasta. He is a fine actor and should stop joking (word intended) and cooling his heels.

Boman Irani should have been the girl-gang's father. Wonder why Ranjeet was instead brought from hibernation, not that he does a bad job but definitely looks tired.

Music is just about okay- and I still can't forget 'Volume kam kar, Papa jag jayega' from Housefull 1.

All said and done, Housefull 4 is a good watch for Diwali when you certainly want something funny happening around you and not the characteristic day-to-day stress of the other 360 days of the year. Wish Sajid-Farhad (director jodi) wouldn't have got a bit carried away (evident) in acquiring the big franchise of Housefull. A little more punchy humour and crispier writing would have provided the cherry on the cake. Sajid Nadiadwala, who like always has put a lot into the production values, deserved a better deal.