'Varun Dhawan iss gaane se Salman Khan nahi ban sakta': Abhijeet Bhattacharya slams 'Chunnari Chunnari' remake

Disapproving the new version, Abhijeet reignited the debate of Bollywood's controversial trend of remixing classic tracks.

Varun Dhawan’s upcoming film, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The film's remake of the 1999 Biwi No 1 banger Chunnari Chunnari has sparked a major legal feud.

While Tips Music claimed that they own the rights, producer Vashu Bhagnani has publicly slammed it as an unofficial recreation, calling the release completely unauthorized.

Adding to the drama, the original playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has now reacted to the recreation of his iconic song. Disapproving of the new version, Abhijeet reignited the debate of Bollywood's controversial trend of remixing classic tracks.

"Yeh gaana Salman ki life ka biggest song tha. Jab aayi thi, tab se ab tak trending hai. Salman Khan ki life ka sabse bada hit hai 'Chunnari Chunnari'. Uss waqt ek rising star tha, not a superstar," Abhijeet Bhattacharya told ANI while talking about the legacy of the Chunnari Chunnari song.

Reacting to the recreated version of the song, Abhijeet Bhattacharya called out Varun Dhawan for doing "second-hand" films. The actor has only done second-hand films, especially when his father directed the original films.

“He also uses the same songs that were once a hit. Varun Dhawan iss gaane se Salman Khan nahi ban sakta. There is a big difference between Salman Khan and Varun Dhawan," he said.

"When I heard the song, I thought it was a bhajan. Chunnari Chunnari was originally a romantic track, and they have now turned it into a bhajan," he added.

Abhijeet Bhattacharya also revealed that the makers of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai never reached out to him before recreating Chunnari Chunnari.

Meanwhile, netizens and 90s music lovers rallied behind the singer, agreeing that the makers failed completely in capturing the spark of the 1999 original. Fans said that the new rendition couldn't compete with the iconic on-screen chemistry of Salman Khan and Sushmita Sen.

"Itne acche gane ki aisi taisi krdi," a social media user commented.

"Don't play with our emotions," another Instagram user commented.

Many also emphasised that no one could match the chemistry between Sushmita Sen and Salman Khan.

"Sushmita Salman pairing was something beautiful, nobody can compare," a fan wrote.

"Miss Salman and Sushmita's vibes", another one commented.

Meanwhile, the new version has been picturised on David Dhawan's son, Varun Dhawan, and actresses Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde.

Over the years, the recreation of iconic songs has largely received mixed reactions. Only a handful have managed to strike the right balance between preserving the nostalgia of the originals and adding a fresh touch.

A highly anticipated Bollywood romantic comedy, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, stars Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde in lead roles. Helmed by director David Dhawan, the film is produced by Ramesh Taurani of Tips Films, with Gaurav Bose (Maximilian Films UK) and Prakash Tareja serving as co-producers. The movie is scheduled for a theatrical release on June 5, 2026.