MUMBAI: Just around the time her films are announced, Bollywood actress turned filmmaker Pooja Bhatt always stirs up a bit of controversy. Now the lady has shocked us, by admitting to plagiarism!

Said Pooja, “I am a self-confessed plagiarist… in this century when you cannot hide what you have stolen, one should have the virtue to confess.”

It was when the first look poster of the film was released that people started accusing the filmmaker of plagiarizing. The seductive poster with blood dripping off red hot lips had a striking resemblance with the poster of Megan Fox starrer ‘Jennifer’s Body’.

To add insult to injury the trailer of ‘Murder 3’ turned out to have frame by frame similarity with the trailer of a Spanish film named ‘La Cara Oculta’. Even the previous two installments of ‘Murder’ series were inspired – ‘Murder'(2004) by Hollywood movie ‘Unfaithful’ (2002) and ‘Murder 2’ (2011) by ‘The Chaser'(2008) a Korean film.

“Before I am accused of plagiarism, let me make it clear, Murder 3’s core idea is borrowed from the Spanish film, but we have Indianised it,” defended Bhatt.

Now with a statement, the producers Fox Star Studios & Vishesh Films have officially announced that ‘Murder 3’ is an adaptation. “Having acquired the official rights of the 2011 Spanish Film “La Cara Oculta” directed by Andrés Baiz , we are ready to awe Indian audiences,” they stated.

Fox Star Studios, CEO Mr. Vijay Singh said, “At Fox we have access to great stories from around the world.”

Featuring Randeep Hooda, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sara Loren (Mona Lizza), ‘Murder 3’ is scheduled to release 15th February 2013.