The cast of Housefull 5, Akshay Kumar, Nana Patekar, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, Soundarya Sharma, and Fardeen Khan jetted off to Pune on Sunday to promote their upcoming film.
Several photos and videos from Pune's Seasons Mall, where the cast promoted the film, have gone viral. Clips show Akshay Kumar, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Nana Patekar dancing on stage and entertaining the crowd with their moves and witty one-liners.
However, the situation turned chaotic when fans went berserk, leading to a stampede-like scenario inside the mall.
The venue was packed, and several women and children were seen crying as they got caught in the overwhelming crowd. A video shows people struggling to make space, with some getting pushed and squeezed. A particularly distressing moment captured a little girl breaking down in front of the stage after being separated from her parents. Jacqueline Fernandez consoled the child and assured her parents she was safe.
Seeing the chaos unfold, Akshay Kumar took charge of the situation. He grabbed the mic and pleaded with the crowd to remain calm and avoid any mishaps.
Akshay, with folded hands, said, "Dhakka-dhukki mat kariye, please. Haath jod ke vinanti karta hoon, yahan auratein hain, bacche hain... I request everyone, please." ( "Please don't push and shove. I fold my hands and request you—there are women and children here... I request everyone, please.)
The Housefull 5 team continued with the event after the crowd was brought under control and successfully wrapped it up within the scheduled time.
The trailer for the film was released last week, and fans are eagerly hoping that after a dry spell of six months, Bollywood might finally deliver a solid rom-com this year. Trade experts predict that Housefull 5 could be a game-changer for Akshay Kumar, as the film is expected to open with strong numbers, potentially ending his recent box office drought.
Housefull 5 also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, Chunky Panday, Johnny Lever, and others in key roles.
