Why Abhijeet Bhattacharya criticises Varun Dhawan’s 'Chunnari Chunnari' remake?

Abhijeet Bhattacharya criticised Varun Dhawan’s recreated version of 'Chunnari Chunnari' from the film 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' saying the remake lost the charm of the original 1999 hit song.

Reported by: PTC Punjabi Desk | Edited by: Ritika Nath | May 27th 2026 01:29 PM | Updated: May 27th 2026 01:29 PM

Veteran playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has strongly criticised the recreated version of his iconic song “Chunnari Chunnari.” The singer said the new version has taken away the original charm and emotion that made the 1999 track such a massive hit. He also expressed disappointment over not being informed by the makers before the remake was released.

The recreated track appears in the upcoming film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai and has already sparked mixed reactions among fans on social media.

New Version Released by the Makers

On Tuesday, the makers of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai released the revamped song titled “Chunnari Chunnari: Let’s Go.” The music video features Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde.

The recreated version has been arranged by Akshay Raheja and Abhishek Singh, while the video has been choreographed by Remo D'Souza. The song features vocals by IP Singh, Jonita Gandhi, Asees Kaur, Sudhir Yaduvanshi, and Anuradha Sriram, who was also part of the original song.

Original Song Was a Major Hit

The original “Chunnari Chunnari” was featured in the 1999 film Biwi No.1 and starred Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, and Sushmita Sen. The song became one of the most popular Bollywood tracks of the late 1990s and continues to be loved by audiences even today.

Speaking about the original track, Abhijeet said it was one of the biggest songs of Salman Khan’s career and had remained popular for decades because of its unique energy and appeal.

Singer Upset Over Lack of Communication

Abhijeet said what upset him most was that nobody from the new film’s team contacted him before recreating the song. According to the singer, neither the music composers nor the director informed him about the remake.

He said he felt ignored and disappointed that the makers did not even speak to him before using the song in a new film.

Fans Share Mixed Reactions Online

The recreated version has also received mixed responses on social media. Many fans criticised the makers for changing a classic song that already had a strong emotional connection with audiences.

Several users commented that the remake lacked the magic and freshness of the original version. Others questioned the growing trend of remaking old Bollywood hits for younger audiences instead of creating new music.