MUMBAI: Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar pulled off a quirky stunt to connect with his audience and experience their reactions first-hand for his latest release, Housefull 5. Donning the killer mask from the film, Akshay went incognito outside a Bandra theatre in Mumbai to interact with viewers post-screening — a moment he described as a “mast experience.”

The fifth installment of the successful Housefull franchise, directed by Tarun Mansukhani, hit theatres on Friday and features a star-studded lineup including Nargis Fakhri, Abhishek Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Riteish Deshmukh, and Sonam Bajwa. The film has already garnered significant attention at the box office.

Sharing a video of the interaction on Instagram, Akshay wrote:

“Bas yun hi I decided to wear the killer mask and interview people coming out of the Housefull 5 show at Bandra today. Pakda jaane wala thaa end mein but bhaag gaya us se pehle. Mast experience.”
(Translation: I just decided to wear the killer mask and interview people coming out of the Housefull 5 show at Bandra today. I almost got caught at the end but ran away before that. Fun experience.)

In the video, Akshay, dressed in casual jeans and a shirt, is seen alongside a few masked companions, engaging with unsuspecting viewers. Most failed to recognize him despite his familiar voice. Reactions to the film were overwhelmingly positive. One fan eventually spotted the superstar and couldn’t contain her excitement, capturing the moment on her phone.

Social media reactions poured in with fans applauding Akshay’s creativity. “AK sir can do this,” one user commented. Another added, “No cut in the video, fair public review.” A fan humorously remarked, “He should’ve removed the mask at the end to surprise them!”

Box Office Update: Housefull 5 Makes Thunderous Start
Housefull 5 is off to a flying start at the box office. According to early estimates by Sacnilk, the film has collected a whopping ₹55 crore net in India and ₹87 crore globally within its first two days. The numbers are expected to climb further over the weekend.

In a novel twist, the film features two different endings with two different killers, depending on the theatre — a strategy that has sparked conversations and curiosity among moviegoers.

In addition to the lead cast, the film boasts an impressive supporting lineup, including Sanjay Dutt, Fardeen Khan, Shreyas Talpade, Nana Patekar, Jackie Shroff, Dino Morea, Chitrangada Singh, Soundarya Sharma, Chunky Pandey, Nikitin Dheer, and Johnny Lever — making it one of the biggest ensemble casts in the franchise to date.

With strong initial collections and a fresh marketing twist from its lead star, Housefull 5 looks set to continue its dream run at the box office.