Brace yourselves for a full-blown comedy hurricane, because the ‘Housefull’ gang is back and this time, they’re bringing in even more madness, mayhem, and laughter! With 15 years of non-stop chaos behind it, the iconic franchise is now heading for its fifth instalment – ‘Housefull 5’, releasing on 6 June, and promises to be the biggest, craziest one yet.In an exclusive chat with Etimes, Shreyas Talpade spilled the tea on everything from surviving rough seas during the shoot to being pampered by ‘Akki bhai’ (Akshay Kumar), and of course, what it’s like to be back with the maddest bunch in Bollywood. From double endings to slapstick drama, Talpade gives insight into why this cruise comedy is ready to dock straight into box office gold.Back in the ‘House’: Shreyas on returning to the comedy carnivalIt’s been over a decade since Shreyas last brought the laughs in ‘Housefull 2’, and now, he’s stepping back into the loony universe of ‘Housefull 5’. Talking about how it feels to be back in the madhouse? He replies, “‘Housefull’ feels like a family and I’m extremely happy to be a part of this complete mad universe. Getting back with all of them was great and extremely crazy at the same time.” Talking about not being a part of ‘Housefull 3’ and ‘4’he simply said, “I’m sure there was nothing much to offer to me. But this time, the whole concept was completely different. The climax, as everybody knows, is completely different. There are 19-20 actors coming together to create a world which I’m sure people will enjoy watching.”Sajid Khan vs Tarun Mansukhani: Directors with distinct flavours of comedyComparing the styles of the two directors who have helmed ‘Housefull’ films, Shreyas notes a fascinating contrast. Talpade explains, “Sajid’s school of filmmaking, what I’ve experienced, is completely over the top. He’ll also make you ham at certain places, but he does it with so much conviction that you believe what he’s saying. While Tarun is a little calmer than Sajid is but he gets into the slapstick zone with utmost conviction.” Shreyas added that working with such varied directors pushes him as an actor. “Their thoughts are different, their ideas are different, their conviction is different. As an actor, it challenges you to give it your best as per their school of filmmaking. The way the whole franchise has embraced these different styles is awesome.”‘Kapkapiii’ to ‘Housefull 5’: Why back-to-back comedies?After delivering a punchy performance in the horror-comedy ‘Kapkapiii’ along with Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas now again jumps straight into the madness of ‘Housefull 5’. He says, “As actors, we live for these challenges, one is a mystery comedy, and one is a horror comedy. Both have an element of slapstick in them. But I think that’s what makes it interesting.”He credits the directors and writers for crafting unique characters that allow him to explore different comedic styles. Despite ‘Kapkapiii’ being delayed due to the passing of director Sangeeth Sivan. “I’m grateful that I’ve had back-to-back releases. ‘Kapkapiii’ was really well received, and now I’m looking forward to ‘Housefull 5’, which is a whole new experience. As an actor, I feel truly lucky to get the chance to play such varied and interesting characters in every film.”Shreyas recalls a storm while shooting on the cruiseThe cast of ‘Housefull 5’ reads like a who’s who of Bollywood, featuring Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, and many more. The shoot took place on a cruise for 40 days, turning work into a non-stop party. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Shreyas recalls a terrifying moment when the ship was caught in a storm, “One of the most unforgettable incidents happened on the cruise itself. We were caught in the middle of a storm and the entire cruise ship kept moving up and down, sideways. All of us kept smiling and laughing, but inside we were really, really scared.”He said they were reminded of the safety drills from day one. “It was one experience in life which ideally no one should really have… but now that we’ve gone through it, we know what happens in the middle of the ocean.” Still, he hopes that kind of storm hits the box office too – “where people go crazy about the film and book as many tickets as many times as possible!”‘Akki bhai was the elder brother who took great care of me’Fans will be thrilled to see Shreyas reunited with Akshay Kumar and Riteish Deshmukh. The trio’s chemistry is as solid as ever. Talpade shares, “Working with both of them is not only fun, but they just keep you on your toes all the while – either with some pranks or some games. With Akki bhai, you can expect a lot of fun. Akki bhai was the elder brother who took great, great care of me. He was the one who assured my wife that, ‘Don’t worry, Shreyas is going to be fine on the cruise.’ He set a workout pattern for me. He set a diet regime. When he’s around, you know you’re going to be looked after – and I really want to thank him for everything he’s done.”From ‘Housefull’ to ‘Jungle’: Double dose of comedy franchisesNext up, Shreyas will be seen in ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, reuniting with Akshay once again. It’s the third film in the hit ‘Welcome’ series and the actor is thrilled to be on board.“That cast again is pretty huge, with so many actors and so many of them with great comic timing. So the kind of fun that we’re having on the sets of ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ is pretty much equal to what we had on ‘Housefull’. I feel blessed to be part of these popular franchises and to play an important part in all of them.”More Marathi masala with Nana Patekar’s show-stealing actingIf there’s one thing fans are buzzing about, it’s Nana Patekar’s hilariously high-energy performance, especially his viral ‘Phoogdi dance’. “Yes, people have given us immense love. Especially when we get the Marathi angle in Hindi films, they love it even more,” said Shreyas. “But this time, more than me and Riteish, it is Nana sir who’s stealing the show… not only with his Phoogdi dance, but his complete character.”Patekar plays a character called Dagdu Sir, complete with dhoti, pheta, kurta, and fierce energy. “It is going to be a treat and a delight for all fans of Marathi cinema.”Talking about the dual ending murder mysteryA murder mystery in a slapstick comedy? That’s the twist ‘Housefull 5’ is promising – and even the cast was kept in the dark! “The mystery was there while we were shooting! I think that was the best part – how we went about shooting this,” Shreyas said. “When actors don’t know who the killer is, their performance definitely changes.”Adding to the fun is a dual-ending twist, brainchild of Sajid Nadiadwala himself. “When I heard it for the first time, I was quite blown away! And I’m sure people are looking forward to that.”Shreyas concluded with a heartfelt hope, “I just hope people go out there in theatres in big numbers. The advance booking is looking great. So we really want to thank them for that. And I just hope they enjoy the film to the fullest. That is the only thing that will make us happy.”
