The ongoing legal warfare over the upcoming film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has escalated following a dramatic press conference held by producer Vashu Bhagnani on May 22. Bhagnani alleged that Ramesh Taurani of Tips Music cannot legally reuse songs from Pooja Entertainment’s 1999 hit Biwi No. 1, while also hinting that the new film’s plot lines might mirror the original classic.
However, a highly placed industry source speaking anonymously has fired back, offering a sharply contrasting version of events that challenges Bhagnani’s claims regarding copyright, casting, and past financial transactions.
The Supreme Court Ruling and Trailer Launch Timing
According to the insider, Bhagnani’s legal leverage crumbled just hours before his public statements.
- Judicial Setback: The source revealed that Vashu Bhagnani lost his plea in the Supreme Court on May 22. This setback explains why the Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai team is confidently moving forward with their grand trailer launch today.
- The Biwi No. 1 Sequel Claim: Bhagnani stated he had plans to produce a sequel to Biwi No. 1 starring Varun Dhawan and directed by David Dhawan. The source completely dismissed this, stating that Varun Dhawan never signed any contract with Pooja Entertainment after the 2020 release of Coolie No. 1, making any claims of a prior commitment entirely false.
Clarifying the Coolie No. 1 (2020) Financial Fallout
During his press conference, Bhagnani claimed he was merely a “namesake producer” on the Coolie No. 1 remake, alleging he paid David Dhawan an inflated direction fee of nearly ₹70 crores while the veteran filmmaker managed all expenses.
The industry source labeled these claims as “laughable” and detailed a different version of the project’s financial mismanagement. According to the source, multiple third-party vendors went unpaid by Pooja Entertainment during the production of Coolie No. 1. To protect their professional reputation and ensure working-class crew members weren’t left helpless, the Dhawan family stepped in and paid ₹16 crores out of their own pocket to clear those vendor debts.
With the trailer launch proceeding as scheduled, the battle lines between Pooja Entertainment, Tips Music, and the Dhawan family remain firmly drawn.
