Housefull 5 Director Tarun Mansukhani shares how shoot faced unexpected hurdle from ship captain

Housefull 5 shoot anecdote revealed by director

Since the release of the trailer, Housefull 5, starring Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh and others has been creating a lot of buzz.

After a minor 11-second cut, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) approved the film with a U/A 16+ certificate, generating interest in the upcoming comedy.

Director Tarun Mansukhani has now revealed some amazing behind-the-scenes information from the film's unusual cruise ship shoot, which was not without its share of drama and logistical challenges.

In a recent conversation with Mid-Day, Mansukhani recounted the elaborate 40-day filming schedule on a cruise, involving an ensemble of 19 actors.

To ensure smooth execution, he memorised the ship’s layout right from the outset to prevent time wastage during shoots. However, maintaining visual continuity and balance while filming on a constantly rocking vessel posed major challenges.

The director also revealed how unpredictable weather wreaked havoc on their plans. “I remember during the storm, people couldn’t stand, and cameras were about to fly off. On the second day of the storm, the captain told me I had to stop filming due to safety concerns,” he said. The team’s resilience through these adverse conditions highlights the demanding nature of the production.

Making his debut in the well-liked Housefull series, Tarun disclosed that he took a long break after his most recent release, Drive (2019).

Although it took him more than a year to write the script for Housefull 5, he acknowledged that the process went smoothly and that the ideas came to him naturally.

Mansukhani lauded the franchise's legacy and referred to it as the first Bollywood series to reach a fifth installment, thanking producer Sajid Nadiadwala for keeping him grounded.

He also stressed the importance of giving substantial roles to each cast member. Instead of casting big names for fleeting appearances, he ensured each character had depth and relevance. “I only approached the ‘big’ stars after I liked the character while scripting,” he explained.

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Mansukhani fondly recalled the infectious energy of veteran actors Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff during the shoot. “They were a riot,” he said, adding that their light-hearted antics were a pleasant and unexpected delight on set.

Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Nana Patekar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, Jackie Shroff, Chitrangada Singh, Soundarya Sharma, Chunky Pandey, Nikitin Dheer, Johnny Lever, Dino Morea, Shreyas Talpade, and Fardeen Khan, on the other hand, play important roles in Housefull 5.

On June 6, 2025, the eagerly anticipated movie will hit theatres.