'Jeena Zaroori Hai' featuring Sidharth Shukla: Makers defend song's release

'Jeena Zaroori Hai' featuring Sidharth Shukla: Makers defend song's release
24 May 2022

Late last week, actor Vishal Kotian and Photofit Music Company unveiled a music video titled Jeena Zaroori Hai. This romantic drama also featured beloved late actor Sidharth Shukla and singer-actor Deepika Tripathy.

The video quickly caught controversial fire as Shukla's fans slammed makers and Kotian for exploiting the late actor's legacy. Now, the makers have issued a clarification on the issue.

Why does this story matter?
Fact

Shukla suffered an untimely demise in 2021 due to a heart attack. He had shot for Jeena Zaroori Hai in 2018 before he participated in Bigg Boss 13. Upon his demise, Shukla's family had requested to be consulted before any of his projects get released. Thus, when the MV rolled out apparently without the family's permit, social media was torn apart by fans.

'We take full responsibility'
Statement

In an official statement, the makers said, "We want to inform you that we take full responsibility for when, where, and with who we will be releasing the song." The statement added that the actors must be kept away from any controversy as the artists have invested themselves in the project and simply fulfilled their work commitments. Notably, Ramesh Barik is the video's producer.

Makers didn't clarify if Shukla's family was informed

Clarification

The statement also said that all conditions were duly followed, and "the release of the song has been executed with detailed evidence in terms of releasing the payments." They further argued that public sentiments and the "memory of our beloved Sidharth Shukla" have been accorded the utmost importance. They didn't, however, clarify if the Shukla family was informed about the song's release.

'Nobody wanted to play with sentiments of anybody'
Kotian's statement

Ever since the song's release, Kotian has been eliciting unfavorable comments and has invited the wrath of Shukla's fans. While speaking to BollywoodLife, the former Bigg Boss contestant said, "Nobody wanted to play with the sentiments of anybody, which is why the song got delayed." He added that a scene, where Shukla's character passed away, was eventually deleted from the final cut.