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Housefull 3 backdrop

Housefull 3

out of 10
Unfavorablemost critics didn't like it
Monk Score · 24 scored reviews · 10 not rated

Lazy, offensive writing sinks this franchise entry despite Akshay's best efforts.

Verdict tier Unfavorable, most critics didn't like it, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Akshay Kumar's comic performance
  • Criticised: Offensive, lazy, repetitive writing

Audience

User score 2.1 out of 10 from 8 ratings, Unfavorable
Read 5 audience reviews ↓

Not streaming in India

Critic consensus

What 33 critics are saying

Critical reception for Housefull 3 was largely negative to mixed, with most reviewers finding it a disposable, brainless entertainer suited only to franchise loyalists and fans of mindless slapstick. Where praise existed, it was directed at Akshay Kumar's comic performance and the assembled cast's effort to elevate weak material. The film drew widespread criticism for lazy, repetitive writing and a reliance on offensive humor targeting the physically challenged and racial stereotypes, with several critics flagging the confused and half-baked attempts at redemption. A small number of reviewers acknowledged it as a functional stress-buster within its lowbrow genre, though even they tempered expectations accordingly.

How the 24 scores spread

10 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 33 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (34)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    There are a few scenes in which the lunacy hits the mark, but they are painfully infrequent. At one point Sandy, pretending to be wheelchair-bound, lunges at Bakul's feet, saying: 'Wheel payna papaji'. I had to laugh. The men – Akshay, Riteish and Abhishek Bachchan – all seem to be having fun and their energy keeps the engine running. But it's not enough. And did I mention that Chunky Pandey reprises his role as Aakhri Pasta. In one scene, he appears disguised as the paravarik jyotish Akhri Aasta. It's very tiring.
  2. Top critic

    NDTV

    Film review ·

    The onus is eventually on Akshay, Riteish and Abhishek to give the film some direction. But all that they do is flow along with the mindless tale, often hitting dead-ends from where there can be no return to sanity. Housefull 3 is strictly for fans of the franchise. Are there any left?
  3. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    Jacqueline, Lisa and Nargis playing lassies in short skirts going by the name Ganga, Jamuna and Saraswati, coming up with the worst lines ever...
  4. Bollywood Life

    Film review ·

    Housefull 3 is neither the best comedy film in Bollywood nor it aims to be. Yet, it is the best film of the franchise (not that there is much to aim there…), as it is far more entertaining and funnier than its predecessors. Go for it, if you like mindless entertainers, and I am sure you will not be disappointed! Bye bye Sajid Khan, you will NOT be missed at all!
  5. Zee News

    Film review ·

    Our verdict is that 'Housefull 3' is a full-on family entertainer. After all, there is no harm in giving logic a small break for a while.
  6. Bollywood Hungama

    Film review ·

    ...has all the constituents of an archetypal Hindi masala movie with hilarity, absurdity, humour, gags and punches in abundance. The film is a madcap entertainer which delivers guffaws, belly laughs and over-the-top slapstick humour in gigantic proportion. The film however is bound to get diverse reactions from the audiences. If you admire and relish these entertainers, and are passionate about cinema of this variety, then HOUSEFULL 3 is definitely a stress buster for you. Else, you can stay away from this. At the Box-Office, HOUSEFULL 3 will appeal only to the masses, the aam aadmi, who relish hardcore masala movies.
  7. DNA India

    Film review ·

    Housefull 3 is mad, irreverent and funny. And it has Akshay Kumar's outstanding return to comedy in one of his finest performances. Go for it.
  8. Gulf News

    Film review ·

    The tale of three losers with some nifty get-rich-quick-scheme is one of those films that defies logic. As long as you don't look for sense in this one, you are safe.
  9. India

    Film review ·

    Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan and Riteish Deshmukh will tickle your funny bone! If only you can manage to check your brains at the entrance of the movie hall!
  10. IndiaWest

    Film review ·

    ...the film ends up as a decent stress-buster due to its combination of slapstick and situational comedy. More than the script, it is the actors who go that extra mile in this matter, led of course by Akshay Kumar as the wannabe sportsman with split personality disorder.
  11. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    If you have seen the two earlier installments of this franchise, you already know that is purely a 'leave-your-brains-behind' affair. The premise is a comedy of errors. But unlike Gulzar's gem Angoor (1982), this one is not about twins. It's so convoluted, it will make Shakespeare turn in his grave.
  12. Filmfare

    Film review ·

    Sajid-Farhad had ample opportunities to make a genuinely campy situational comedy but bungled it. The actors involved try their hardest to rise above the material given to them. They are all at ease with each other and a little more directorial effort would have made it a nice ensemble film.
  13. Glamsham

    Film review ·

    ...may still find patronage among Akshay Kumar's die-hard fans and those who can laugh at anything. Leaving the rest to pray that this may be the 'Aakhri Pasta' (the last installment) of this no brainer that was once upon a time an entertainer...
  14. Mid-Day

    Film review ·

    This is not a politically correct film by any standards and is quite unapologetic about it, except for a forced, unwittingly hilarious scene where the girls talk about kindness towards handicapped people.
  15. FridayMoviez

    Film review ·

    In all, if you laugh at almost anything, you could go watch this movie. Or if you worship Akshay Kumar or have really nothing to do and can bear some Bollywood cliché, go watch it.
  16. KoiMoi

    Film review ·

    Housefull 3 is a no-brainer that can be enjoyed only by fans of Akshay. For people seeking for good jokes, check into one of your WhatsApp groups!
  17. The W14

    Film review ·

    At some point, inevitably, the cinema screen in the dark hall starts competing with your little cellphone screen. Which is only fair. As our phones get smarter, our humour clearly appears to be getting dumber.
  18. FilmiBeat

    Film review ·

    Unfortunately, Housefull 3 is so utterly brainless that it would be our stupidity to talk about technicalities here. From weak storyline to a series of plotholes, from repetitive comic sequences to a poor VFX, the film has a long list of demerits, which makes it fall flat on its face!
  19. Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    Though not as much of a riot as Welcome or Khiladi 786, you can count on the star cast and the crazy set-up to give you a good time.
  20. PinkVilla

    Film review ·

    Fans will happily rubbish reviews, this and we assure you many more, saying that critics are a bunch of grumpy people who don't know how to take a joke. Haaa…critics are just people who find impossible to use their brains depending on a film's genre. Movies are either good, bad or ugly and Housefull 3 is tragically ugly.  Housefull 3 cracked horrible jokes. Housefull 3 offended.

From our readers

Audience reviews (5)

8 ratings · user score 2.1

  1. Tejas NairJun 2016
    3/10

    The third film in the popular yet low-quality comedy franchise, Housefull 3 doesn't try much to impress. So it ends up with its predecessors in the Bollywood abyss where all bad movies go.<br /> <br /> Sandy (Kumar), Bunty (Bachchan), and Teddy (Deshmukh) are in love with Ganga (Fernandez), Saraswati (Fakhri), and Jamuna (Haydon), respectively, mostly because they are the rich daughters of Batook (Irani), a Gujarati NRI with a bad sense of humor. Because things are rather messy and there are couple of skeletons up in the cupboard, Batook wants his daughters to marry some other blokes; so he refuses to meet their beaus. However, the daughters manage to introduce the trio to their father by asking them to fake some disability. So Sandy becomes a cripple, Bunty becomes a man with no voice, and Teddy pretends to be blind. So you get the idea how the jokes are formed and what ensues further in the plot, along with few slightly unnecessary side arcs.<br /> <br /> While there is some good old average comedy here to chuckle at, the main problem with Housefull 3 is that it spends 2 hours in making fun of various disabilities, races, and languages, and then towards the climax tries to absolve itself with a confession. It's all good in light-heart, but the overall effect that it gives is mostly unpalatable. <br /> <br /> That's it, there's not much else to say here as anyone who has seen any of the previous two films can deduce the story from what information I have provided. The three lead actors are funny to watch, compared to the female leads' performances; they are rather clumsy and pouty in their approach. Songs are dim and so are the montages.<br /> <br /> BOTTOM LINE: Sajid-Farhad's Housefull 3 is nothing different from its predecessors and all it provides is few chuckles that may not be welcome in the type of country that India has now become (in the wake of Tanmay Bhatt's Snapchat video controversy). Wait for TV premiere and switch between channels during commercials.<br /> <br /> Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES

  2. Abhishek GangulyJun 2016
    1/10

    The Title says it all.

  3. 1/10

    Housefull 3, by Sajid-Farhad, is the third sequel of Housefull series. It is not that I don't have sense of humour, but comedy genre has never impressed me. Probably I am yet to watch a good film from this genre. Housefull 3 also fails to generate any laughter. I wish, I could laugh, but the film is full of mindless humour. People who love comedy genre have also mentioned that the prequels were much better. I may not sound passionate at all while sharing my review about this film. I am sure, there is tremendous scope in our film industry to come up with genuine comedy flicks. The film begins with a robbery scene followed by the police officers arresting three thieves (Samir Kochchar and two others). Then the frames move to a NRI businessman Batook Patel (Boman Irani) settled in London, who proudly says that he loves his all the three daughters Ganga, Jamuna, Saraswati (Jacqueline, Lisa, Nargis respectively) and would never married them off. The logic behind his saying so is astrological; he is being conveyed that he would die the moment a son-in-law steps in their house, or a son-in-law looks at him or a son-in-law utters to him. Ganga, Jamuna and Sarswati try to find their own solutions for the same by asking their respective boy-friends Sandy / Sundi (Akshay Kumar) to act as a person confined to wheel chair, Teddy (Riteish Deshmukh) to act as a blind person and Bunty (Abhishek Bachchan) to act as a mute person. All three come to meet Batook Patel, ask his daughters' hands and end up staying in their house. It doesn't need mention that the boys were eying the property of the girls. Rest of the film revolves around the situations generated to safeguard themselves from Batook's eyes and also to win him over. Jacky shroff plays the role of a gangster Urja Nagre. What is the connection between him and Batook. Who are the three thieves shown in the beginning of the film? Whether Sandy, Teddy, Bunty are able to marry their love interests? How many of the people are claiming Batook's property? How does Batook handle his girls' love interests? Does he yield to them? How does the real picture come into play? What chaos is created as the film unfold? I really have a problem with the script of the film. Is it required to make a mockery of the handicap / disability to generate sense of laughter? The song 'Taang Uthake' and choreography is aweful. Girls' dialogues translate the English phrases literally into Hindi, gets repetitive and lacks humour. As far as the cast and crew is concerned, indeed Akshay, Riteish and Abhishek are good with the comic timings. I liked Riteish of the three. Girls don't have much to do. Music is average. Watch Housefull 3 at your own risk. I don't recommend this film, but if you just want to watch and forget a film, please go and watch this film, which has just a few scenes of laughter.

  4. 5/10

    Housefull 3 is one of the usual comedies which does not captures the intelligent mind but humours it well. This time the plot is more or less akin to its previous series. The story goes around 3 men viz. Sandy/Sundi (Akshay plays 2 characters), Teddy (Riteish), Bunty (Abhishek) who woo 3 rich women to get moolah and their property. They are then stopped by Batook Patel (Boman) their not genuine father who does not want to get his daughters married due to a big reason. Akshay and Riteish are very fine. Before all else Akshay emulates exceedingly well where he plays 2 characters with any ease. And on the other hand Riteish – The Comedy Mascot of our Bollywood too is pleasurably very entertaining. Duo accompanied with junior Bachchan spruce up the film. Fashionistas Jacqueline, Nargis, Lisa are able to addict the viewer by their very nubile liveliness. Very stylishly and with a great delight trio adds an exciting quality to the film. But what goes weak with them is their feeble act show cum their fuss. The music and the background score too is engaging. From high beats to emotional ones it tastes tasty. And well surprisingly what gets damaged in the film are the dialogues itself – completely silly, senseless, unrealistic but slightly humorous. Also the story and the script lack intelligence. The writers need to improve and rise. My last words for this mega franchise are that do watch the film with your family and enjoy the joyful ecstatic excitement thoroughly. A keen watch for comedy loving cinephiles. I am going with 5/10 stars. Well done Sajid-Farhad!!!

  5. Shree Hari HJan 2017
    2/10

    I can't recollect the last time I watched a genuinely good Bollywood comedy – one that earned its laughs rather than pummelling its audience into submission with a sledgehammer. It was with great trepidation, thus, that I entered the cinema hall to watch Housefull 3; given Sajid-Farhad's less-than-enviable filmography, it was rather unlikely that their latest venture would be anything other than a cinematic Apocalypse. Needless to say, some – if not all – of my worst fears were confirmed. Housefull 3 is cheerfully crude, laboriously long and painfully pretentious. Most unforgivably though – the film is just flat-out boring. The underlying premise remains the same as that of the previous two installments – three boys and three girls manage to find themselves entangled in a ridiculously convoluted situation, largely thanks to the many dim-witted choices that they make over the course of the film. This is a film that brims with solid comic potential, and in the right hands this could have turned out to be one hell of a rollicking entertainer. There are a few gags that land their punches well enough – especially those that involve a lot of self-deprecation. All three leading men – Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Abhishek Bachchan – throw themselves wholeheartedly into their half-baked roles, and this earnestness helps propel the film forward. The ladies however remain woefully bereft of anything that even remotely resembles a well-crafted story arc. There was a time when I found myself pondering over what might have prompted Sajid Khan all those years ago to spell his franchise's name the way he did. Hark, the mystery stands resolved: the extra 'L' is for Ludicrity.

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