Akshay Kumar is back to doing what he does best, delivering box office gold. After the positive performance of Sky Force earlier this year, his latest release, Housefull 5, is off to a flying start, positioning itself as a potential blockbuster.

Backed by Kumar’s star power and the franchise’s loyal fanbase, the film has brought much-needed momentum to theatres following a dry spell since his own Kesari 2. Early estimates suggest the film is on course to collect over twenty-five crore rupees on day one, with the figures expected to climb further as evening and night shows gain traction.

Housefull 5 Went ‘Housefull’

Advance bookings for Housefull 5 were modest. However, Akshay’s box office appeal drove strong spot bookings, leading to a solid opening. By the evening of Friday, around 4:15 pm, the film had collected 8.40 crores across national chains. Projections pointed to a day-end total of 14 crores. Moreover, the national chains accounted for 53 to 55% of the total. The estimated figure of the day reached 25 crores.

This marks Akshay Kumar’s biggest non-holiday opening to date - an impressive feat, especially for a comedy genre. It is also the strongest opening in the Housefull franchise, surpassing the ₹17.50 crore debut of Housefull 4. Saturday looks even more promising, with advance booking trends on the rise. By 4 PM, over sixty thousand tickets had already been sold across national chains. Single screens and non-national circuits are also reporting healthy occupancy, especially among family audiences.

Also, the exhibitors are optimistic, with a positive word of mouth that helped in driving its footfall. However, the real test will be on Monday, which will reveal whether the film can maintain its momentum beyond the weekend. Moreover, Akshay Kumar has once again proven his unmatched crowd-pulling power by giving the franchise its best-ever opening.