Akshay Kumar-Sajid Nadiadwala ropes in Farhad Samji for Housefull 4

The fourth installment of the super-hit franchise, which is set to go on floors in 2018 and is scheduled for a Diwali 2019 release, has become an fixation with the duo, who are also neighbors.

Sources say whenever the two meet, even informally; they come up with punch lines which can be included in the film.

Now, Akki and Sajid (Nadiadwala) have also used their charm and persuasion powers to get Farhad Samji — the screenplay and dialogue writer of several hit comedy franchises including Housefull, Judwaa and Golmaal — to come on board and pen this fourth installment.

“Farhad needed a little bit of persuasion,’’ says our source. “He directed Housefull 3 with his brother Sajid Samji. They wrote the dialogues for it and Housefull 2. After their split, Farhad, who will now work independently, has been signed by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment as a writer-director for two projects. However, in the case of Housefull 4, he will only pen the screenplay and dialogues.”

The main theme of the story which is reincarnation drama has been written by Sajid Nadiadwala. Set in two eras, one of which is close to the time in which Baahubali was based, it will be mounted on a gargantuan budget. An insider says, “Plans are afoot to shoot that era on as lavish a scale as the Baahubali franchise.” It seems Akshay and Sajid are leaving no stone unturned to make Housefull 4 a visual extravaganza.