India, June 6 -- Everyone who has watched the Housefull franchise (the fifth one hit theatres today, interestingly in two versions- 5A and 5B, each with a different ending) has a favourite. Mine is Housefull 1 and Housefull 2. None of the five films are connected in any way, except for three actors the series has managed to retain since the very beginning: Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, and Chunky Panday.

The issue with Housefull 5 is that these three are the only ones who truly understand the tough art of making people laugh- out of an ensemble of 19 actors.

Written and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by Tarun Mansukhani, the story (yes, there's one this time) revolves around a 99-year-old billionaire (Ranjeet) who dies just...