Hindi
Housefull 2 is a fair entertainer
MUMBAI: Housefull 2 can be called a crowded comedy in a sense that the screen is filled with multiple characters of various hues. Towards the end, the film creates a mini India on screen with twelve actors in the main roles portraying Marathi, Gujarati, Sindhi, Punjabi etc roles catering to all parts.
Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor are brothers who don‘t see eye-to-eye but both have one common aim – to find the son of some renowned and wealthy man for their respective daughters.
Mithun Chakraborty is a childhood friend of Boman Irani, an ex-police boss, on whose advice Mithun gives up his dark past, spends time in jail and travels to England to not only make his fortune but also be counted among one of the most respected names there. On the occasion of Chakraborty turning a new leaf, Boman Irani had sought a promise from him that they would turn their friendship into family relationship when their children grow up.
Both Randhir and Rishi Kapoor are both told by match maker Chunkey Pandey that Chakraborty‘s son, Reitesh Deshmukh would be an apt suitor for their daughters, Asin and Jacqueline Fernandez. The brothers vie for Deshmukh while making sure the other does not get the whiff on his intent.
Deshmukh loves Zarine Khan, a model, and is not in a position to tell Mithun Chakraborty. He also has to ward off Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor‘s daughters. As a result, Akshay Kumar, John Abraham and Shreyash Talpde each end up posing as Reitesh Deshmukh.
Meanwhile Talpade, Deshmukh‘s friend, is in love with Shahzan Khan. He is humiliated by her father Rishi Kapoor and plans revenge. What follows are the comic situations, romance, songs and dances.
Housefull 2 may not have much by way of a story but it does manage to create some really funny situations.
The film often loses pace in the first half, but manages to hold its own in the later part, which is also shorter. There is not much help from songs but the item number Anarkali…. is well choreographed.
The scenes between Chakraborty, Irani and Malaika Arora are stretched.
What works for the film is its multifaceted cast and the fact that yesteryear stars have been cast as fathers. Economic considerations can be seen in the casting of heroines with all four lacking mass following.
The film has been shot extensively on indoor locations, which helps keep the budget down. The film has just one real action scene with all four heroes involved; it is well executed.
While performances by all male artistes is good, if rated the order it would be Mithun Chakraborty, Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Reitesh Deshmukh and Shreyash Talpade.
Johny Lever is good but having seen the film with the audience in Uttar Pradesh, it looked like his native Marathi lingo was not going down well with the audience. All four female actors are passable.
Housefull 2 is a fair entertainer and due to its star cast and reasonable opening at multiplexes (the single screens opening is not the same) should be able to sail safe.
Hindi
Dhurandhar 2 trouble: BMC moves to blacklist Aditya Dhar’s B62 Studios
Blacklist move follows torch, drone and permit violations; producers lean on a legal workaround
MUMBAI: Mumbai’s civic bosses have turned up the heat on a big-ticket sequel. The BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) has moved to blacklist Aditya Dhar’s B62 Studios after a string of safety and permit breaches during the shoot in Mumbai. The message is blunt. Flout the rules, forfeit the privileges.
Officials cite repeated violations, including lit torches in a high-security heritage zone, a drone flown without clearance, location changes, a terrace used without permits, and two generator vans run without approvals. Mumbai Police stepped in during a night shoot in the Fort precinct, seizing five mashals and warning the crew to avoid flammable props. A separate case was filed at MRA Marg Police Station against location manager Rinku Rajpal Valmiki for flying a drone without permission.
The civic playbook is escalating. A-ward officials have recommended blacklisting the studio from the state’s single-window filming portal, forfeiting a Rs 25,000 deposit and imposing a Rs 1 lakh penalty. The deputy municipal commissioner has cleared the proposal for action, with notices to follow.
Yet the production’s pulse remains steady. A source close to the unit says filming continues and the March 19 release, timed for Eid, Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, remains intact. Co-producer Jio Studios can route fresh permissions through an unblacklisted applicant, a loophole that keeps cameras rolling even if named applicants are barred. The ban bites, but it does not block.
The film, starring Ranveer Singh, arrives with commercial heft. The previous instalment minted over Rs 1,300 crore worldwide, sharpening the incentive to stay on schedule. The sequel also faces competition from Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups by Geethu Mohandas, headlined by Yash.
For now, the crackdown raises compliance costs, not curtains. Permits can be rerouted, penalties paid and shoots rescheduled. In Mumbai’s film economy, the show rarely stops. It simply finds a new entry point and races to make its date.
