Housefull 5’s Teaser: Dropped Like It’s Hot… Then Blocked Like It’s Not

Bollywood's highly-awaited comedy caper, Housefull 5, has been embroiled in a copyright row, with its teaser suddenly taken down from YouTube mere weeks ahead of the release of the film.

Major Points:

The teaser of Housefull 5, which starred Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, and a huge starcast, was released with fanfare on April 30 and garnered millions of views within a short while.

On May 9, fans were caught off guard as the teaser disappeared from YouTube. Trying to view the video today shows the following message: "This video is no longer available because a copyright holder has made a claim on it by Mofusion Studios."

Mofusion Studios, an Indian record company that has collaborated with artists such as Diljit Dosanjh and Jasmine Sandlas, asserts rights to the song "Laal Pari," which appears in the teaser. The precise nature of the copyright dispute is not yet clear, since neither the studio nor the producers of the film have made a statement.

Reports have shown that producer Sajid Nadiadwala was forced to acquire the rights of "Laal Pari" from not one, but three music companies-Dinesh Productions, Zee Music, and Mofusion Studios-after Yo Yo Honey Singh reportedly promised the track to various groups, resulting in conflicting claims and an expensive resolution.

Not withstanding the YouTube removal, the teaser is still accessible on Instagram, posted by the stars of the film, and the "Laal Pari" track continues to dominate YouTube through the channel of T-Series.

Tarun Mansukhani-directed Housefull 5 is set to be released theatrically on June 6, 2025. The copyright glitch hasn't yet disrupted the release timeline of the movie, but supporters are waiting in anticipation for a confirmation.

Sources: The Telegraph India, Times of India, Pinkvilla