Mumbai, Oct 17 (IANS): Soundarya Sharma, who gained recognition through her participation in ‘Bigg Boss 16’ has bagged 'Housefull' opposite Akshay Kumar. The dentist turned actress will be seen playing the female lead in the same.

Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, the forthcoming comedy also stars Dino Morea, Jacqueline Fernandez, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Nargis Fakhri and Sonam Bajwa.

Talking about joining the multi-starrer film, Soundarya shared, “I’m incredibly thrilled and grateful to be part of such a mega film franchise and to be featuring with Akshay sir alongside most talented and amazing actors! It’s a dream opportunity. I’m so thankful to my producers especiallymy God Sister Warda Nadiadwala for believing in me”.

The first film in the 'Housefull' series was directed by Sajid Khan and was released in 2010. Following its success, the second installment was released two years later. In 2016, the franchise welcomed its third part, helmed by Sajid-Farhad. After a brief hiatus, ‘Housefull 4’ was in 2019. The next installment, is set to be released in June 2025.

Recently, Sonam Bajwa shared behind-the-scenes glimpse from the set, where she, along with her co-stars Jacqueline and Nargis, were seen having some fun moments. Talking about Soundarya, she has made significant strides in the entertainment industry, from her appearance in the widely discussed ‘Vimal’ advertisement alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn, and Akshay Kumar to her participation in the reality show Bigg Boss 16. Her work in OTT projects and music videos has further solidified her status as a household name.

On the work front, apart from 'Housefull 5' with Akshay Kumar and others, Soundarya has also reportedly signed a massive 3-film deal and a major announcement is expected in December. Interestingly, Soundarya has officially become the first contestant in ‘Bigg Boss’ history to sign a major A-list film as the leading lady.