New Delhi: Producer Vashu Bhagnani has voiced strong objections regarding the use of the song “Chunari Chunari” in the upcoming film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, featuring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde. In a recent press conference, Bhagnani expressed his discontent not only towards Varun but also directed his criticism at Varun’s father, David Dhawan, urging him to acknowledge the financial losses incurred following Coolie No 1.
At the conference, Bhagnani announced that producer Ramesh Taurani and Tips Music can no longer utilize songs from his film Biwi No 1. He remarked that he believes the plot of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai bears similarities to Biwi No 1, which starred Salman Khan, Sushmita Sen, and Karisma Kapoor.
Bhagnani stated, “I informed David ji that I would like to produce Biwi No 1. We incurred a loss of about 27 crore rupees with Coolie No 1. David ji managed all aspects of production and expenses. I had invested nearly Rs 70 crore, which was unjustified.” He recalled a conversation where David Dhawan assured him that any losses from Coolie No 1 would be compensated in the future while planning for Biwi No 1. However, Bhagnani alleged that he was misled regarding the screenplay’s development, leading him to reconsider the timeline.
In light of the film’s release in 2020 featuring Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan, it received unfavorable reviews from critics and holds a low IMDb rating of 1.4. Bhagnani elaborated that he reached out to David Dhawan upon discovering that “Chunari Chunari” was being reused. He expressed disappointment over the collaboration between Ramesh Taurani and David Dhawan, resulting in a confrontation.
He also disclosed that the audio rights for Biwi No 1 had been sold to Tips at the time of the film’s initial release, yet representatives from the music label have avoided communication about the matter.
In 2025, leaked videos from the sets of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai featuring Varun Dhawan dancing to the remake of “Chunari Chunari” fueled an intellectual property dispute between Puja Entertainment and Tips Music. On May 13, a ruling from the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division)-I in Katihar provided Puja Entertainment with interim relief concerning unauthorized use of intellectual property rights related to films and music.
In response to the lawsuit, Tips Music described the accusations as malicious and unfounded, asserting that the legal action aimed to damage their reputation while affirming their ownership of the music rights involved.
For additional context, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is directed by David Dhawan and is scheduled for theatrical release on June 5.
