The gang is back, and Akshay joins the fun
You know the Golmaal drill by now. A gang of friends, a mess of lies, a chase, and a lot of loud comedy. Golmaal 5 brings that drill back to cinemas on January 8, 2027. Rohit Shetty announced the date on September 19, 2026. He shared a motion poster with the gang on their famous stretched motorcycle. His caption was simple. Laughter, fun, joy, happiness and family. Bas, nothing else. 8th Jan 2027. Ajay Devgn returns as Gopal. Arshad Warsi returns as Madhav. Tusshar Kapoor returns as Lucky. Kunal Kemmu returns as Laxman. Sharman Joshi and Shreyas Talpade also return. That core gang has carried the franchise since 2006, and fans know each character by name. The big new face is Akshay Kumar. This is his first Golmaal film. Rohit announced Akshay casting on Akshay birthday in March 2026. The makers have not confirmed Akshay role in public notes. Reports have speculated that he may play an antagonist, but treat that as a report, not a confirmed fact.
A franchise that has lasted 20 years
Golmaal started in 2006. It grew into one of the most durable comedy franchises in Hindi cinema. Golmaal Returns followed in 2008. Golmaal 3 came in 2010. Golmaal Again came in 2017. That gap matters. Golmaal 5 arrives almost a decade after Golmaal Again. A lot of fans who watched the first films as kids will now watch the fifth film as adults. Some will bring their own kids. That family pull is the heart of Rohit comedy brand. Rohit Shetty Picturez produces the film, in association with T-Series, as per several reports. One Moneycontrol report also lists Reliance Entertainment in the production mix. The core fact stays steady across reports. Rohit directs, Ajay leads, and the gang returns. Shooting began in 2026. Reports differ slightly on the first schedule. Moneycontrol says filming began in February 2026 in Mumbai. NDTV and other reports say the first schedule was in Ooty in April 2026. Either way, the film shot through 2026, and reports say dialogue portions were done by August 2026. That shoot pace fits a January 2027 release. It gives the team time for post production, music and a full trailer run in December 2026.
Why January 8 is a smart slot
January 8, 2027 opens the year with comedy. Families are back from New Year trips. Schools reopen, but weekend cinema trips stay strong. A clean comedy can own that week if no big rival lands on the same day. Love and War arrives on January 21, 2027, two weeks later. That gap helps both films. Golmaal 5 can take the first two weekends. Love and War can then take Republic Day weekend. Fans of both can watch both without picking one over the other in week one. January also suits Rohit brand. His films work best as group outings. Friends plan a trip, book a row of seats, and laugh together. A January start gives that crowd a reason to head out after the holiday lull.
What Akshay adds to the mix
Akshay and Ajay have shared screens before, but never in Golmaal world. Akshay comic timing is sharp, fast and physical. He can match the gang energy without copying any one character. If reports about an antagonist role prove true, that twist could refresh the franchise. The gang usually faces an outside villain. An Akshay villain would raise the stakes, because fans know he can hold his own against Ajay in a comic fight. If Akshay plays a friend or a rival in a comic role instead, that also works. The key is balance. The gang must stay the centre. A new star should add to the chaos, not take it over. Rohit knows this balance well. He has handled large ensembles in Golmaal, Singham and his cop universe films. He tends to give each actor a clear comic beat. Expect the same here, with Akshay getting a strong entry and a running gag of his own.What the poster tells you
The announcement poster shows the gang squeezed onto the stretched motorcycle. That bike is a franchise symbol. It tells old fans this is the same Golmaal, not a reboot with new faces. Akshay was missing from that first poster, as NDTV noted. That absence may be deliberate. The makers may want to reveal his look later, in a trailer or a second poster. It may also mean his role reveal is being saved as a surprise. Either way, the poster message was clear. New year, new madness, same Golmaal. That line from the makers sums up the pitch in one breath.
What to watch for next
Watch for a teaser in late 2026. Rohit teasers tend to lean on music, gags and the gang chemistry. A strong teaser can set the tone for the whole campaign. Watch for the trailer in December 2026. That trailer will show Akshay look and role hints. It will also show if the humour leans on old Golmaal jokes or fresh ones. Fans want both, in the right mix. Watch the music too. Golmaal songs have a habit of sticking around. A catchy title track can drive bookings on its own, especially for family audiences. For now, Golmaal 5 is the first big Hindi comedy of 2027. Ajay, Arshad, Tusshar, Kunal, Sharman and Shreyas return. Akshay joins for the first time. Rohit directs. January 8, 2027 is locked in public announcements. Mark it, gather your gang, and get ready for the madness to return.
Sources and reporting
- Times of India — 19 September 2026 · Verifies January 8, 2027 date, returning cast, and Akshay first Golmaal role note
- Moneycontrol — 19 September 2026 · Verifies Rohit announcement, poster caption, and February 2026 filming start report
- NDTV — 19 September 2026 · Verifies January 8, 2027 date, Ooty April schedule report, and Akshay missing from first poster
