The trailer for Housefull 5 has officially been released, and during the launch, producer Sajid Nadiadwala revealed an exciting twist: the film will feature two different versions. He explained, “At Gaiety, you’ll see one character as the killer, but in Galaxy, the culprit will be someone else. In PVR Audi 4, one killer will be featured, while PVR Audi 5 will showcase a different version with an alternate killer. Even within the same auditorium, different show timings will have different actors playing the killer. This is a first in the world of cinema.” We reached out to trade experts to discuss whether this innovative approach could be a game-changer or if it might backfire.
Trade veteran Taran Adarsh commented, “It will be interesting to see how audiences react. While there have been films with multiple endings, like Sholay (1975), Housefull 5 offers two distinct versions available to viewers. That’s quite intriguing.” He added, “I would love to watch it twice to see the alternate ending. However, it ultimately depends on the film’s content. If the screenplay isn’t engaging, audiences may only watch it once. Given that the identity of the killer is revealed at the end, the rest of the film needs to maintain a gripping narrative.”Vishek Chauhan, owner of Roopbani Cinema in Purnia, Bihar, noted, “This is a unique concept. It’s not something that happens every week, and it’s designed to spark conversation around the film.
The worst fate for a movie is to be ignored entirely; whether the talk is positive or negative, engagement is crucial.”Trade analyst Atul Mohan remarked, “This has never been done in cinema before. While it’s a novel idea, there are concerns. Nowadays, many people are hesitant to watch a film even once, and here we have two endings that aim to entice viewers to see both.” He stressed the need for clarity on the two versions to prevent confusion, cautioning that someone might intend to watch the second version but end up seeing the same one instead.Distributor and exhibitor Raj Bansal expressed skepticism, stating, “Based on my experience, I don’t believe this concept can guarantee success at the box office.”
