Writer Farhad Samji recently wrote Akshay Kumar starrer Welcome to the Jungle. The film has collected ₹131.85 crore at the Indian box office. Now, his focus has shifted to another blockbuster franchise that’s close to his heart. Earlier this week, Golmaal marked 20 years since the first film released on July 14, 2006. Writer Farhad is thrilled to see the fifth installment taking shape. With Rohit Shetty at helm, a major shooting schedule for Golmaal 5 was wrapped a few months ago. Farhad Samji says the energy on set is infectious and confidently calls the upcoming film the best the franchise has made so far.
Returning to familiar characters makes writing easier
One of the biggest advantages of returning to the Golmaal universe, according to Farhad Samji, is that the groundwork has already been laid. Unlike a brand-new franchise where every character needs to be introduced, Golmaal comes with familiar faces that audiences have grown up watching.
“When I write Golmaal, I have the advantage that the characters, like the mute one, are already hits,” he noted, during a conversation with Hindustan Times after the release of Welcome to the Jungle.
That familiarity gives the writer more room to play with the comedy and the relationships between the characters instead of spending time establishing them from scratch. It’s a big reason why the franchise has continued to connect with audiences and remain one of Bollywood’s most successful comedy series for the last 20 years.
Golmaal has become like family
Over the last 20 years, Golmaal has grown into much more than just a film franchise for Farhad Samji. After working on five films, he says the series has become deeply woven into the lives of everyone involved, with the cast and crew often measuring personal milestones through the different chapters of Golmaal.
“I have an emotional connection to it; it’s like a family. We writers and actors remember our life milestones—like when someone’s kid started school or got married—based on which Golmaal movie we were shooting at the time. Our landmark timings depend on Golmaal,” he explains.
That emotional bond is now carrying over to Golmaal 5, which is currently being filmed. Samji says the energy on set has been infectious and the team is fully invested in making this chapter special. “Shooting is ongoing, and everyone is very excited. I am super excited,” he shared, before adding, “Once the film is complete and promotion starts, we will go full throttle. I can say this is the best of all the Golmaal films,” the writer adds.
About Golmaal 5
Rohit Shetty’s birthday in March 2026 turned into a celebration for Golmaal fans as the filmmaker officially announced Golmaal 5. The reunion video brought back Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Kemmu and Tusshar Kapoor, while also confirming Sharman Joshi’s return to the franchise after the first film. Just when fans thought the surprises were over, Akshay Kumar made a grand entry, revealing that he, too, will be joining the comedy caper for the first time.
It all started with Golmaal: Fun Unlimited in 2006 and struck a chord with audiences through its mix of slapstick comedy, memorable characters and over-the-top madness. The success of the first film led to Golmaal Returns (2008), Golmaal 3 (2010) and Golmaal Again (2017).