Producer Ramesh Taurani and the team of 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' have dismissed Vashu Bhagnani's allegations as a 'smear campaign' driven by personal vendetta, asserting full ownership of the disputed songs in the ongoing controversy.
Makers Break Silence, Call it a 'Smear Campaign'
Producer Ramesh Taurani, Tips and the team of 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' have broken their silence on the ongoing controversy with producer Vashu Bhagnani, dismissing his allegations as a "smear campaign" driven by "personal vendetta." In a joint statement, the makers said, "Recently, a series of baseless allegations have been made against us by Mr. Vashu Bhagnani. It is amply clear to us that this is a smear campaign driven by personal vendetta, intended to derail the release of our film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai."
The statement further claimed that their association with Bhagnani dates back to 1995 during the making of Coolie No. 1. "Our association with Mr. Bhagnani dates back to 1995, when we generously offered him a 50 percent partnership and a producer credit on a project for which we had laid out all the groundwork. Coolie No. 1 went on to become a massive box office hit and gave Mr. Bhagnani a kick-start in the industry. Over the years, we continued to extend our heartfelt support and good wishes to him. It is out of respect for this long-standing relationship that we chose to remain silent until now," the statement read.
The makers also noted that Bhagnani is spreading misinformation through social media and questioned his decision to file a legal complaint in a Bihar court instead of pursuing direct dialogue. "However, Mr. Bhagnani remains determined to spread misinformation via various platforms, including social media. Suspiciously, he has also chosen to file a legal complaint in Kathihar court in Bihar - over 2000 kms away from Mumbai. He decided to take legal action against all associated with our film rather than engage in direct dialogue," the statement added.
Reiterating their legal position, the team asserted ownership over the disputed musical works. "We are deeply disheartened and disappointed by Mr. Bhagnani's conduct. We urge the public not to pay heed to such targeted negativity. We maintain that we are the absolute and lawful owners of the songs Chunnari Chunnari and Ishq Sona Hai," the statement said.
The team further stated that since the matter is sub judice, this would be their only official response for now. "Since this matter is sub judice, this will be the only statement we shall be making at this time. We have full faith in the legal system of our country and are confident that justice will prevail. To our beloved audiences, we promise a complete David Dhawan entertainer on the 5th of June, in a cinema near you. Satyameva Jayate," added team Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai.
Vashu Bhagnani Responds, Calls it an Ethical Issue
The controversy centres around allegations made by Vashu Bhagnani regarding the recreation and reuse of songs associated with one of his films without his consent. Bhagnani has repeatedly described the issue as an ethical matter rather than a financial dispute.
In a press conference on Friday, the producer Vashu Bhagnani also expressed disappointment over filmmaker David Dhawan's alleged involvement in recreating songs linked to his films for 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai', which stars Varun Dhawan. "At least mere paas aate aur kehte Vashu mai yeh gaana karna hai mera beta hai..(He shouldn't have taken these songs. (At least he should have come to me and told me what to do, my son is there)....How can you shoot the same songs for another producer? There has to be ethics in the industry...," Bhagnani said.
He also spoke about his long association with David Dhawan, stating, "David is my brother. I have had lunch and dinner with him. I gave my life for him. Financially, it is fine, but emotionally, the whole family is broken."
Bhagnani alleged that an earlier trailer launch connected to the project had not been cancelled due to a technical issue, but because of concerns related to the ongoing court proceedings. "They cancelled because they were aware about the contempt of court. Now they have gone and filed in the Patna court. They knew very clearly that if anything happened, it would be contempt of court. But they made an excuse by calling it a glitch," he claimed.
Despite the legal battle, Bhagnani maintained that he is not opposed to the film's release and remains open to discussions and settlement."Remove my visuals, do a deal with me, or take permission, that's all I am asking," he said.
Details on the Court Order
Bhagnani further stated that his battle is focused on protecting producers' rights and intellectual property within the industry."My fight is not for me. My fight is for the public. It is about justice and ethics," he said.
The producer also referred to the court's interim protection granted to Puja Entertainment in its legal dispute against Tips Music over the alleged unauthorised use of Bollywood intellectual property rights. According to statements issued through his lawyer, the court's "status quo" order applies to all music rights, songs and films mentioned in the suit. "I believe they have not gone through the court order carefully. The order clearly states that the entire music rights, songs, and films mentioned in the plaintiff's suit are covered under the 'status quo' order," the lawyer stated. The legal team further added that all parties involved in the matter may be required to appear before the court and submit replies.
Trailer Unveiled Amidst Controversy
Meanwhile, the trailer of 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' was unveiled on Saturday, showcasing a colourful mix of comedy, romance, music and family drama in classic David Dhawan style.
Producer Vashu Bhagnani has rejected the claims of 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' producer Ramesh Taurani, in which he said that the ongoing controversy regarding the song has been allegedly "sorted" during the trailer launch of the film. In a self-made video by Vashu Bhagnani, the producer denied claims of any discussion with the producers of the Varun Dhawan starrer 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' regarding the ongoing legal dispute.
The film marks the fourth collaboration between David Dhawan and Varun Dhawan. Fronted by Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde, the film revolves around a chaotic love triangle packed with comic misunderstandings, relationship drama and high-energy humour.
The ensemble cast also features Rakesh Bedi, Chunky Panday, Jimmy Shergill, Mouni Roy, Rajesh Kumar and Ali Asgar in pivotal roles. The trailer includes energetic musical sequences, including a remixed version of the popular 1990s song 'Chunari Chunari'. Tracks such as 'WOW', 'Tera Ho Jaun' and 'Vyah Karwado Ji' have also drawn attention online ahead of the release.
Produced by Tips Films Ltd and co-produced by Maximilian Films (UK), Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on June 5, 2026. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
