Amidst the roaring success of "Housefull 5" at the box office, director Tarun Mansukhani is addressing the criticism leveled against the film for its alleged sexist content. With the movie crossing ₹150 crore in India within ten days and ₹220 crore worldwide, the debate around its humor and portrayal of women has intensified.

Mansukhani, in a recent interview, defended his creative choices, asserting that the film's characters, though flawed, are created for entertainment and to drive the story forward, rather than to reflect real-world beliefs. He argued that viewers are entitled to their opinions, especially since they have paid to watch the film. He welcomes the scrutiny, stating that it indicates the film's success and that people are engaging with it. "It means that they're watching it with a certain eye and sensibility," Mansukhani said. "You can scrutinise it. That's fine. You've paid money to watch it and so, you get to have an opinion on my film."

The director refuted the claims that the film is sexist, emphasizing the pivotal roles women play in the narrative. He highlighted that Sonam Bajwa's character backstabs Riteish Deshmukh's character, which propels the plot. He further added that Soundarya Sharma's character is equally a suspect, involved in transferring funds into an offshore account. According to Mansukhani, the narrative is actively driven by its women characters, not sidelined by them. "The actual plot is driven by women – to get the money," he stated.

Mansukhani also pointed out the equal-opportunity nature of the humor in "Housefull 5," questioning why only sexism towards women is criticized while similar portrayals of men are often overlooked. He mentioned scenes where male leads are naked or showing their backsides, noting that these instances rarely receive the same level of censure. He specifically mentioned scenes featuring male leads—like Dino being naked in two sequences. He suggests that the focus on alleged sexism is a matter of selective interpretation.

Acknowledging that viewers are entitled to their own perspectives, Mansukhani stated, "When they see it, it's the audience's choice to focus on whichever aspect they want to." He also added, "One may choose to see a sexist side to it, but I feel that I've done a lot more." He maintains that his primary focus was on entertaining the audience and earning their appreciation, rather than anticipating specific reactions to the film's content.

The director admitted that the characters in "Housefull 5" are flawed and live in a world that is inherently misogynistic and sexist. However, he insisted that this shouldn't be seen as an endorsement of such behavior by the filmmaker. He also drew a comparison to the crass comments and objectification prevalent on social media, questioning why those who engage in such behavior are often the same ones criticizing his film.

Despite the controversy, "Housefull 5" continues its strong run in theaters, sparking conversation and debate along the way. The film stars Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, and Riteish Deshmukh in leading roles, alongside a large ensemble cast including Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, and many others.