Housefull 5 Director Tarun Mansukhani on Lal Pari Dance Move Row: ‘No Intention To Steal Or Harm’
Housefull 5 faces plagiarism claims after creator Sandip Brahamin accuses the makers of copying his signature hat move in the song 'Laal Pari'. Director Tarun Mansukhani reacts.
In the midst of its box office success, the big-ticket Bollywood entertainer Housefull 5 has found itself in the eye of a controversy. While audiences are grooving to the upbeat track Laal Pari, digital content creator and dancer Sandip Brahamin claims the film copied his signature dance move without crediting him.
Lal Pari plagiarism accusations
Sandip, known for his distinctive hat trick move, took to Instagram to express his dismay. Sharing a reel comparing his original step to the one used in Housefull 5, he alleged, “I went to Instagram and YouTube and there is a movie called Housefull 5. It has a song called Laal Pari. They have copied my moves but they haven’t mentioned my name, they haven’t credited me (sic).”
The video posted by Sandip on May 3 only began to draw attention after the film hit theatres on June 5. Since then, the matter has rapidly gained traction across social media platforms.
Reacting to the accusations, director Tarun Mansukhani told News18 that he was unaware of Sandip’s work prior to the release of the film. “I did read up something about that. To be honest, I hadn’t seen his videos before. I had only gotten to know it after we had launched the song. I came to know that the step that we’ve in the song is the hook step that he’s known for,” he explained.
The dance number Laal Pari was choreographed by Remo D’Souza, a seasoned professional in the industry. While Tarun did not deny the similarities, he emphasized the unintentional nature of the overlap. “I’m sure somebody must have seen it at some point somewhere and felt that it’s a great step to do and we did it.”
Director apologises over plagiarism situation
Tarun went on to express regret over the situation, noting that had he been aware of Sandip’s work earlier, he would have welcomed his input. “There was no intention to harm anyone or steal anything. Life isn’t that conniving. If I had known this guy before, I would’ve brought him in to choreograph the song for my actors. Who would be a better choreographer of Laal Pari than the creator himself? It’s as simple as that."
He added, “There was no intention to engage in any kind of plagiarism. It’s just one of those things that ended up happening. We’re very sorry if he feels like that. I want to reiterate that there was no intention of causing any harm of any form.”
Housefull 5 box office
Despite the uproar, Housefull 5 has emerged as a commercial juggernaut. The film has already crossed ₹100 crore and is climbing steadily. Tarun, returning to cinemas after 17 years since Dostana (2008), shared, “It feels fantastic because I came back to the theatres after 17 years… Right now, we’re at a Rs 178 crore gross worldwide.”
He concluded on a grateful note: “More than being happy, we’re grateful… there’s a certain amount of relief that it’s done, it’s out there and it’s being appreciated.”
While the film basks in box office glory, all eyes remain on how the creators address the choreography dispute — and whether it leads to official credit or collaboration going forward.
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