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In a bold experiment aimed at reinvigorating one of Bollywood’s biggest comedy franchises, the makers of 'Housefull 5' decided to surprise audiences by releasing two different versions of the film, each with a unique ending. However, the gamble doesn’t appear to be paying off at the box office — at least not yet.

As per early estimates, the film managed to rake in only Rs 13.81 crore by 6 PM on opening Friday, despite being released on a staggering 7018 screens across India. This includes 4074 screens for 'Housefull 5A' and 2944 screens for 'Housefull 5B'.

Two Versions, One Big Confusion?

While the core of the film remains the same for the first two hours, the final 20 minutes diverge into separate endings in Housefull 5A and Housefull 5B. Audiences were expected to engage with the format, perhaps even watch both versions — but instead, it has sparked confusion.

Both versions of the movie were made available with ticket labels distinguishing them, but many viewers expressed dissatisfaction online, questioning the very need for multiple endings. Some viewers pointed out that the endings reveal different murderers, and reactions have been mixed — with some preferring the first version and others finding the second “darker.”

Mixed Audience Reactions and Low Occupancy

Despite a star-studded cast including Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri, and Sonam Bajwa, the film has witnessed low occupancy rates. 'Housefull 5A' reportedly had an overall occupancy of 20.93%, while 5B lagged behind with just 10.76%, according to data from industry tracker Sacnilk.

Even with the addition of comedy veterans like Johnny Lever, Ranjeet, Jackie Shroff, and Shreyas Talpade, the film seems to have struggled to connect with its audience.

Will This End Akshay Kumar’s Dry Spell?

Akshay Kumar, whose last appearance was in 'Kesari 2', has been searching for a commercial hit for some time. Unfortunately, Housefull 5’s underwhelming opening figures and the mixed response to its experimental format raise questions about whether this installment will break his recent streak of underperforming films.

As social media fills with viewer feedback, one sentiment is clear: the dual-ending format may have been more suited for an OTT release. “They could have released different versions on OTT,” one user commented, echoing the views of many puzzled fans.