'Misleading and speculative': PVR Inox refutes reports of legal action against Puja Films amid Vashu Bhagnani controversy
From Bollywood biggies and industry veterans to production houses and media conglomerates, everyone seems to be at loggerheads these days, with legal notices flying around and public mud-slinging becoming the norm. At one end, the reported Ranveer Singh vs Farhan Akhtar fallout has already divided the industry and fans. Simultaneously, we are also witnessing the Dhawans vs Vashu Bhagnani vs Ramesh Taurani battle playing out publicly, with the media and social media closely tracking every development.
If you aren't aware of the Dhawans vs Ramesh Taurani and Vashu Bhagnani feud, it revolves around the songs Chunnari Chunnari and Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, originally from the Salman Khan and Sushmita Sen starrer Biwi No. 1.
Times have changed, and many iconic 90s songs are now being revamped and recreated for Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences with newer, more upbeat versions. However, the current feud erupted after Vashu Bhagnani claimed he legally owns the rights to the songs and alleged that David Dhawan and Ramesh Taurani used them in Varun Dhawan, Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur's Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai without his permission.
On the other hand, Ramesh Taurani and Tips maintain that they hold the original rights to the film and the songs and therefore had no issue recreating the tracks for the upcoming entertainer. Vashu Bhagnani, however, insists that his production house, Pooja Entertainment, rightfully owns them.
Now that the recreated track Chunnari Chunnari Let's Go has been released, the trio continue battling over the rights publicly. To make matters worse, netizens have heavily slammed the new version. Many social media users are calling out Varun Dhawan's expressions and the overall presentation of the song. And to top it all, singer Abhijeet, who crooned the original Chunnari Chunnari, has also jumped into the controversy and openly criticised the Varun-Pooja-Mrunal version.
Ramesh Taurani issues statement saying things are sorted, Vashu Bhagnani drags the matter to court
Well, it clearly seems like Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is sailing in troubled waters.
On Wednesday, May 27, 2026, veteran producer Ramesh Taurani and the production team behind Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai officially issued a public statement addressing the recent legal and intellectual property allegations levelled against them by Pooja Entertainment chief Vashu Bhagnani.
The controversy directly revolves around the music rights and creative execution of the tracks Chunnari Chunnari and Ishq Sona Hai, both legacy songs associated with the 1999 cult entertainer Biwi No. 1. While Vashu Bhagnani argued that the reuse lacked his consent and violated industry ethics, Tips reiterated that it holds the legal rights to the tracks. The matter has now reached court, with an interim order already passed, keeping the dispute active and reigniting a larger debate around music ownership and remake culture in Bollywood.
Vashu Bhagnani has repeatedly voiced emotional and ethical concerns over the issue, stressing that this is not about money but about respect and long-standing relationships. He expressed disappointment that David Dhawan allegedly did not consult him despite their decades-old association. Bhagnani also claimed that Varun Dhawan never called him even once after Coolie No. 1 failed at the box office, and he allegedly suffered losses of over Rs 27 crore during the COVID-19 period. He further hinted that neither the Dhawans nor Taurani sought his approval before proceeding with the songs.
Ramesh Taurani responds to Vashu Bhagnani's claims over 'Chunnari Chunnari' song: 'Smear campaign driven by personal vendetta'
Producer Ramesh Taurani, however, has maintained that all issues have been sorted legally and that the dispute will not impact the film's release or promotions.
In their official 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. 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.
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 Katihar court in Bihar, over 2,000 km away from Mumbai. He decided to take legal action against all those associated with our film rather than engage in direct dialogue.
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.
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.
According to the makers, despite Tips Films having completed the initial groundwork independently, they still "generously offered" Bhagnani a 50 per cent partnership and producer credit out of goodwill.
Drama intensifies as reports claimed that PVR Inox Pictures was planning to take legal action against Vashu Bhagnani's Puja Films over alleged dues of Rs. 100 crore three-film deal between them.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by PVRINOX Pictures (@pvrpictures)
PVR INOX issues clarification amid reports of legal action against Puja Films
On Friday, it was reported that the filmmaker had filed a Rs 400 crore lawsuit in the Bombay High Court against Tips Industries, Ramesh Taurani, Kumar Taurani and director David Dhawan.
Amid this, a report in Bollywood Hungama claimed that PVR INOX was planning legal action against Bhagnani's Puja Films over alleged dues linked to a Rs 100 crore three-film deal.
However, PVR INOX took to Instagram and called the report "misleading".
The statement read, "We have noted a recent media report concerning PVRINOX Pictures and Mr. Vashu Bhagnani. The contents of the story are misleading and speculative in nature and do not accurately reflect the facts or the nature of the relationship between the parties."
The company further stated that it shares a longstanding and cordial professional relationship with the Bhagnani family and appreciated Jackky Bhagnani's professionalism in handling matters between the two companies.
Puja Films later reshared the statement on Instagram, thanking PVR INOX Pictures for its kind words and continued support. The production house added that it deeply values the longstanding relationship and looks forward to many more successful collaborations in the future.
Meanwhile, the internet has strongly reacted to Chunnari Chunnari Let's Go, which stars Varun Dhawan, Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur.
Adding more negativity, singer Abhijeet also expressed disappointment over the recreated version. Speaking to Times Now, he revealed he was never informed about the remake.
He said, "Who am I to give permission to remake this song? In sab gaano se toh superstars bane hai. Salman Khan ke career ke sabse bade do gaane — Chunnari Chunnari aur Tan Tana Tan. Aisa hota hai ki agar voice kisiko suit kare toh woh superstar ban jata hai." ("Who am I to grant permission for a remake of this song? These songs are what made superstars. Two of the biggest songs of Salman Khan's career are Chunnari Chunnari and Tan Tana Tan. Sometimes, when a particular voice suits an actor perfectly, it helps turn them into a superstar.")
He further added, "Salman Khan aur Varun Dhawan mein utna hi farak hai jitna Amitabh Bachchan aur Asrani mein hai. Varun Dhawan can't do justice to the song I sang. They made a wise decision by not retaining my voice in the song. Usko gaaliyan padti. Salman Khan iss gaane se superstar ban gaya, Varun kuch nahi ban sakta." (The difference between Salman Khan and Varun Dhawan is as vast as the difference between Amitabh Bachchan and Asrani. Varun Dhawan cannot do justice to a song that I sang. They made a wise decision by not retaining my voice in the recreated version; otherwise, I would have been the one facing criticism. Salman Khan became a superstar with this song, but Varun cannot achieve the same.")
During the David Dhawan Film Festival, Salman Khan's playful jab at Varun Dhawan also went viral online. Referring to the recreated version of Chunnari Chunnari, Salman joked, "Isne mera ek aur gaana uthaya," leaving the audience in splits. Varun quickly responded with, "Bhai rehne do," and the light-hearted exchange instantly became one of the evening's most-shared moments online.
About the film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai film
Directed by veteran comedy filmmaker David Dhawan and starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is being positioned as a crucial mid-year theatrical entertainer. Backed by Tips Films Ltd, the film is expected to hit cinemas on June 5, 2026.
Now, all eyes are on whether Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai will overcome the backlash and legal drama once it finally releases.