Actor Riteish Deshmukh returned to the Housefull 5 franchise earlier this year, which turned out to be a success with its two endings. The actor — who also has the sequels of other hit franchises Masti 4 and Dhamaal 4 coming up for release — calls it his privilege to be called back again to headline franchises.

“I think every actor should feel fortunate if they are part of any franchise or have gone into a second part. Here I am currently doing four films probably! I feel extremely fortunate to be a part of movies that people probably have so much appreciation for, that we are able to make a part four and a part five,” he tells us.

But the 46-year-old does not believe that the credit lies solely with the actors, extending gratitude to those who come out to support the films upon release. “That’s all thanks to the audience,” he says.

Riteish, who is currently directing his second Marathi film Raja Shivaji, also weighs in on the ‘sequel fatigue’ or ‘franchise fatigue’ and the shelf life of such productions, which has become a topic of discussion lately.

“That fatigue will lie with the audience. The audience’s reaction factors into it along with the fact that these instalments are coming in long gaps. They are coming after five years and even 10 years for that matter. So, it’s not like they are coming back every month,” the actor opines.

Any news about King, and fans lap it up with gusto. The film not only launches Suhana Khan on the big screen after her OTT debut with The Archies, but also marks her first on-screen union with her superstar father, Shah Rukh Khan.

Currently in pre-production, the Siddharth Anand directorial begins filming on May 18 at a Mumbai studio, before heading to the UAE and Europe for later schedules. The film boasts a star-studded cast, including Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Abhay Verma, and now, Arshad Warsi in a crucial role.

Interestingly, this marks Warsi’s second outing with Shah Rukh after the latter’s cameo in Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaye (2005). A source shares, “His role is small, but pivotal. Arshad could not refuse when Shah Rukh approached him. When he personally calls someone, nobody says no. Arshad is doing the film only because he loves Shah Rukh. His role is a sweet, quirky, funny and cute one with slight grey shades; and only Arshad can play it to perfection.”

Warsi, currently shooting Dhamaal 4 with Ajay Devgn, also has Jolly LLB 3, Welcome To The Jungle, and Raj Kumar Hirani’s Pritam Pedro lined up. “While Shah Rukh and Suhana begin shooting from May 18, Arshad will join them only from June-end after he wraps up Indra Kumar’s Dhamaal 4,” adds the source.

Another laugh riot from the Dhamaal franchise is on its way, with Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Riteish Deshmukh and Jaaved Jaaferi having kicked off work on the fourth instalment. But Dhamaal 4’s shoot is turning out to be no laughing matter. Last week, during the shoot in Malshej Ghat, the actors expressed concern regarding a dangerous sequence set on a cliff. We’ve heard Warsi was particularly apprehensive about executing it, and was finally convinced when co-actor Devgn assured him that he will oversee the shoot and the safety measures involved.

The actors’ nervousness was understandable, considering director Indra Kumar had earlier planned to employ VFX for the scene.

A source from the set says, “It wasn’t supposed to be a live-action sequence because the location can be precarious. However, a few days before the shoot, Indra ji and Ajay decided to film it at the site. The scene was to have the four actors hanging from a cliff; it was the most dangerous for Arshad as he was to hang at the furthest end. Using body doubles was out of the question as it is a crucial comic scene, with them having to mouth dialogues.”

When the cast voiced their concerns, Devgn, one of Bollywood’s biggest action stars, took the lead. Since he has also been a director, he decided to mount the sequence as per his vision, with help from action director RP Yadav.

The source explains, “These actors are in their 40s and 50s, and not as agile or familiar with stunts as they used to be. Some of them even have past injuries. Taking these factors into account, Ajay broke down the sequence and eliminated some movements that could have been risky. He then ran the choreography, step by step, past the actors to see if they felt comfortable with it. To allay their fears, he also explained how safety measures such as harnesses and a safety net would be employed at all times. Plus, an emergency medical unit would be available throughout. It was only when each actor, especially Arshad, felt confident that Ajay went ahead with the scene, and shot it over four days.”

Impressed by Devgn’s execution of the sequence, Warsi took to Instagram to write an appreciation post where he admitted that he has “newfound respect” for the superstar. 

If franchise films are the ticket to success today as many filmmakers and trade analysts will have you believe, Ajay Devgn seems to have a winning hand. The superstar has seven franchise films in the pipeline, with his 2025 release slate consisting of three sequels — Raid 2, De De Pyaar De 2, and Son Of Sardaar 2. He will also shoot for the latest instalment of Dhamaal this year, while scripting of Drishyam 3, Shaitaan 2 and Golmaal 5 is in process.

For now, director Anshul Sharma’s De De Pyaar De 2 has Devgn’s undivided attention. An insider reveals, “With Rakul Preet Singh and R Madhavan, Ajay is filming the 12-day schedule at various sets across Mumbai. The cast and crew will head to Punjab by mid-February for the final leg during which two songs and some emotional scenes will be canned.”

The actor will then swiftly move from the world of the romantic comedy to that of his action comedy. The insider adds, “While in Punjab, Ajay will also shoot a song for Son Of Sardaar 2, after which it will be a wrap on the movie that also stars Mrunal Thakur and Ravi Kishan.”

Summer will see the actor returning to the universe of Dhamaal, six years after headlining the last instalment, Total Dhamaal (2019). While Total Dhamaal’s stars Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit-Nene will be missing in the upcoming instalment, Devgn will reunite with franchise regulars Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi and Jaaved Jaaferi for Indra Kumar’s directorial venture.

A source reveals, “The unit will kick off the shoot in Mumbai before heading to Goa for an elaborate schedule in April. Indra-ji has got bulk dates of the cast and will film the comedy in a straight schedule till August, readying it for a Diwali release. The adventure comedy, produced by Ajay and Bhushan Kumar, among others, has been written by Paritosh Painter, Balwinder Singh Suri and Bunty Rathore.”

By the year-end, it will be time for the superstar to prep for what is easily among his most loved franchises—Drishyam 3. We’ve heard that the crime thriller’s script is currently being penned by the writing teams of the Malayalam and Hindi versions, with director Jeethu Joseph leading the former. The source adds, “The plan is to shoot Mohanlal’s Malayalam and Ajay’s Hindi versions simultaneously in 2026.”

While his comic timing in a string of Hindi films won him popularity, Riteish Deshmukh’s advent into Marathi films brought forth a side of him that the audience had never seen. Recently, the actor, who was seen as the host of the Marathi Bigg Boss, wrapped up the latest instalment of Housefull. In a conversation, Riteish talks about his journey in the Hindi and Marathi industries and how he defines success as an actor, director and producer:

Riteish took over from Mahesh Manjrekar as the host of the recently concluded Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5. Ask him about the popularity of this season, and he replies, “I believe that instead of being weighed down by the success, one should be responsible towards the work that you’ve taken on and do it with utmost sincerity. I realized early in my life that the outcome of your efforts is not in your hands; it can succeed or fail. You have to give it your 100 per cent dedication regardless of the result.”

The actor was also shooting for the fifth installment of Housefull alongside hosting the reality show. Talking about returning to a quintessential comic caper, he shares, “Although Kakuda was a horror comedy, it wasn’t the typical madcap one. So, I am just happy to get back to comedies, which are coming back-to-back with Housefull 5, Dhamaal 4 and Masti 4. In between, I will also be directing the Hindi and Marathi bilingual Raja Shivaji, a film based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.”

Reflecting on his early days, he recalls that his primary goal as a debutant in Tujhe Meri Kasam (2003) was simply to win the audience’s acceptance. He says, “When I debuted in 2003, all I wanted was for the audience to accept me. When comedies like Masti (2004) and Kyaa Kool Hai Hum (2005) worked, people started offering me only comedies.”

Ask him if he had to put in a lot of effort to break away from the genre, and he says, “No, I don’t think it was a deliberate attempt. It was just one of those opportunities that came my way. Ekta Kapoor and Mohit Suri were brave enough to offer me Ek Villain at that point, and I am very happy with the way it worked out.”

He adds, “I tried to do serious films like Naach (2004) and Rann (2010), but those didn’t work. I even did Aladdin, which didn’t click either. So, I was back to the comedy franchises. Breaking away from the comedy genre took time and films like Lai Bhaari (2014), Ek Villain (2014), Ved (2022), Visfot (2024) and Raid 2 (yet to release) helped me explore other aspects of my craft.”

Riteish has seen huge success in the Marathi film industry. Does he ever compare his journey in regional cinema with his work in Hindi films?

He says, “Becoming an actor was never my plan — I’m an accidental actor. In fact, I always thought my first film would also be my last. Everyone defines success differently. For me, success is something personal. When I reflect on my journey, as someone who grew up on movies, I feel immense gratitude for the opportunities I’ve had. I’ve worked with legends like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Mithun Chakraborty, Rishi Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, and Salman Khan. These are the icons I admired onscreen. Sharing the screen with them is my definition of success. So, it doesn’t matter whether I’ve achieved great heights in Marathi cinema or performed reasonably well in Hindi. Those aren’t the metrics I measure myself against.”