Snehashish roy
Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has strongly criticised the recreated version of the iconic 1999 song Chunnari Chunnari from Varun Dhawan’s upcoming film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. The veteran playback singer, who originally sang the chartbuster alongside Anuradha Sriram for Salman Khan’s Biwi No. 1, expressed disappointment over the remix and took a direct swipe at Varun Dhawan while reacting to the remake controversy.
The recreated track was recently unveiled by the makers of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde. Soon after its release, the remix sparked mixed reactions online, with several fans criticising the updated version and comparing it unfavourably to the original Salman Khan and Sushmita Sen song.
Reacting to the controversy during an interview with ANI, Abhijeet said the remake lacked the charm and impact of the original track. The singer argued that iconic songs carry emotional value that cannot simply be recreated for modern films.
“Varun Dhawan iss gaane se Salman Khan nahi ban sakta,” Abhijeet said while discussing the remix.
The singer further claimed that Varun Dhawan frequently relies on remakes and recreated songs from older Bollywood hits. According to Abhijeet, the actor’s repeated use of nostalgic content reflects a growing trend in Bollywood where filmmakers depend heavily on established classics rather than creating fresh music.
Abhijeet also alleged that the makers of the film did not inform or consult him before recreating the song. He expressed surprise that neither the director nor the music team approached him regarding the new version.
“Makers ki himmat nahi thi mujhe batane ki,” the singer reportedly said while reacting to the remix.
The original Chunnari Chunnari appeared in David Dhawan’s 1999 comedy Biwi No. 1, starring Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor and Sushmita Sen. The song became one of the biggest Bollywood dance hits of the late 1990s and continues to remain popular across generations.
Interestingly, the recreated version also comes from a David Dhawan directorial universe of sorts, as Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is directed by David Dhawan himself and stars his son Varun Dhawan in the lead role.
Some users described the remix as “unnecessary,” while others accused Bollywood of “ruining classics” through constant recreations. Meme pages and fan accounts also flooded X and Instagram with comparisons between Salman Khan’s original dance moves and Varun Dhawan’s new version.
One viral comment read, “Salman Khan and Sushmita Sen’s version is unbeatable,” while another user joked that Bollywood had “turned nostalgia into a business model.”
This is not the first time Abhijeet Bhattacharya has openly criticised the trend. The singer has repeatedly spoken against remix culture in interviews over the years, arguing that many recreated tracks dilute the emotional and musical value of original compositions.
The controversy also drew reactions because Salman Khan himself recently joked about Varun Dhawan using his songs repeatedly. During the David Dhawan Film Festival event in Mumbai, Salman humorously remarked, “Isne mera ek aur gaana utha liya,” while referring to the remake.
The playful jab from Salman had already gone viral online before Abhijeet’s harsher comments surfaced.
Meanwhile, music composer Anu Malik defended the recreated version despite the criticism. Malik, who composed the original Chunnari Chunnari, praised Varun Dhawan’s performance and described the song as timeless entertainment.
“Varun, tu kya nacha hai,” Anu Malik said while supporting the remix publicly.
The song controversy has also become entangled in a separate legal dispute involving music rights. Producer Vashu Bhagnani recently accused Tips Music of using songs from Biwi No. 1 in Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai without proper rights clearance.
According to reports, the disagreement over digital video rights has already escalated into legal proceedings.
Despite the backlash, the remix has significantly boosted attention around Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, which is being promoted as a comedy entertainer in classic David Dhawan style. Apart from Varun Dhawan, the film stars Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde in lead roles.