The makers of the highly anticipated Bollywood comedy film “Housefull 5” have reportedly filed a substantial defamation suit of ₹25 crore (approximately $3 million USD) against Mofusion Studios and the online video platform YouTube. This legal action comes in response to a copyright claim filed by Mofusion Studios regarding the use of the song “Laal Pari” in the movie’s teaser, which led to the teaser being temporarily taken down from YouTube.
Sources close to the production house, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, have stated that the lawsuit was initiated after popular music artist Yo Yo Honey Singh provided a written declaration affirming his sole ownership of the rights to the song “Laal Pari.” Singh reportedly stated that he had exclusively licensed these rights to Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment for use in “Housefull 5.”
According to a report in Bollywood Hungama, a source revealed, “The matter arose as the song ‘Laal Pari’ was incorporated in the teaser of Housefull 5. It is composed by Yo Yo Honey Singh, and Mofusion Studios has claimed that they hold the rights to the song. However, Yo Yo Honey Singh has given in writing to Sajid Nadiadwala that he’s the sole rights holder to ‘Laal Pari’.”
The production house reportedly feels that the removal of the teaser, especially without prior verification from YouTube, has unfairly tarnished their reputation. Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment is a well-established banner in the Indian film industry with a significant online presence, boasting over 1.6 million subscribers on their YouTube channel. They argue that YouTube should have exercised more diligence before acting on Mofusion Studios’ copyright claim.
The legal notice, reportedly sent on May 12, 2025, demands that YouTube immediately re-upload the teaser. Failure to do so, the notice states, will result in the video-sharing platform being liable for the ₹25 crore defamation damages sought by the “Housefull 5” makers.
This development adds another layer to the ongoing controversy surrounding the song “Laal Pari.” Earlier reports suggested that producer Sajid Nadiadwala had already acquired the rights to the song from multiple music labels, including Dinesh Productions and Zee Music, for a significant sum. The emergence of Mofusion Studios’ copyright claim came as an unexpected shock to the production team.
“Housefull 5,” directed by Tarun Mansukhani, boasts a massive ensemble cast including Jackie Shroff, Sanjay Dutt, Nana Patekar, Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Shreyas Talpade, Fardeen Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, and many others. The film is slated for release on June 6, 2025, and this legal battle is unlikely to dampen the anticipation surrounding the fifth installment of the popular comedy franchise.
As of now, neither Mofusion Studios nor YouTube has issued an official statement regarding the defamation suit. The outcome of this legal battle will be closely watched by the Bollywood industry and fans alike, especially concerning the complexities of music rights and digital content platforms.