Renowned playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has publicly expressed his displeasure over the unauthorised recreation of his popular song 'Chunnari Chunnari' in Varun Dhawan's forthcoming film 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai'. The singer revealed that the production team did not contact him before reworking the beloved track from the 1999 film 'Biwi No. 1'.
In his statement, Bhattacharya appeared to take aim at Varun Dhawan's star status, reportedly suggesting that the actor 'cannot become Salman Khan', who originally featured in the song alongside actresses Sushmita Sen and Karisma Kapoor. The original track, composed by Anu Malik with lyrics by Sameer, became a chartbuster and remains a nostalgic favourite for Hindi film music enthusiasts across India, including Bihar where such Bollywood numbers continue to dominate wedding playlists and local celebrations.
This controversy adds to the ongoing debate within India's film industry regarding the trend of recreating classic songs. Many original artists and composers have previously voiced concerns about proper attribution and financial compensation when their work is adapted. The practice of obtaining necessary permissions from original creators has become a contentious issue, with several veteran musicians calling for stricter adherence to copyright protocols.
The film's producers have not yet issued an official response to Bhattacharya's allegations.