When the teaser for Housefull 5 was released on the 15th anniversary of the franchise, fans were ecstatic to watch Akshay Kumar groove along with an exciting ensemble cast.
However, before long, fans expressed their outrage on social media, with many claiming the signature number looks “copied from Instagram”.
One of the first to call it out was Twitter user @angelpriya3215, posting:
“Dance Style #Copy From Instagram Kya Din Aa Gaye Bollywood Ke #Housefull5 #AkshayKumar @LallantopCinema”
(View Tweet)
This prompted a broader discussion:
Did choreographer Farah Khan (daughter Farah Khan, in this case, Tarun Mansukhani’s team) actually lift choreography from viral Instagram routines, or was this simply Bollywood’s classic, “inspired” aesthetic?
What Fans Are Saying
In scrolling through the Instagram reels, users have identified similar hip-hop-fusion choreography executed by dance influencers young and old earlier this year.
While some might say there isn’t any issue with honouring the creators, instead, ‘purists’ are stating it has now stripped originality from the scene:
@DanceWithTara:
“These moves were trending on Insta months ago—Bollywood needs fresh steps, not reruns!”
@BollywoodMeans:
“Borrowing is fine, but at least credit the choreographers you borrow from.”
Producers believe Housefull 5’s choreography was developed in-house to align with the over-the-top tone of the film.
A source associated with the production stated:
“Our team studies viral trends daily—this sequence is a bespoke mash-up, not a straight copy.”
The Bigger Picture: Bollywood & Social Media
An examination of Bollywood shows a tradition of borrowing from dance trends within global and grassroots scenes.
From ABCD‘s penetration of contemporary street styles to the increase of item numbers parroting TikTok choreography, the realm between homage and theft has always been difficult to navigate.
With Housefull 5, it feels like there’s more on the line:
The massive ensemble cast—Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nargis Fakhri, among others—has everyone’s attention, which means every moment is being analysed.
The viral controversy will add to the excitement for the full song release on May 3 (“Laal Pari”) and the movie trailer after May 10.
What’s Next?
Whether it’s crediting dance stars or doing some new choreography, it seems likely that the Housefull 5 team will sort out all of the noise before the full song/music video and the movie trailer are released.
In the meantime, the controversy reminds us of one thing:
Even controversy can create box office interest.
Stay tuned with us for the latest news, Hindi box office news, Hollywood news, OTT news, the latest Bollywood news and the latest box office news.
