India, Nov. 21 -- Two decades ago, Masti arrived as a breezy, mildly naughty comedy that relied on timing, chemistry and a certain early-2000s innocence to make its case. Actors Riteish Deshmukh, Vivek Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani built an entire franchise on that formula, pushing it further with Grand Masti (2013) and Great Grand Masti (2014). The sequels that followed didn't exactly elevate the genre, but they kept the franchise alive in their own loud, unfiltered way. Now, almost a decade since the last instalment, Mastiii 4 arrives-determined to remind us why nostalgia is not always a reliable marketing strategy.

The storyline is fairly simple: Three married friends in the UK-Amar, Meet and Prem-are trapped in joyless domestic routine...