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Internet disappointed with Varun Dhawan's Chunnari Chunnari remake: ‘Ruined another iconic song’

The iconic song from Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has been recreated with Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde

Updated on: May 26, 2026, 19:30:45 IST
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The makers have unveiled the new song Chunnari Chunnari from Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. It is an iconic song from the 1999 blockbuster Biwi No. 1 that featured actors Salman Khan and Sushmita Sen. The new song has been arranged by Akshay Raheja and Abhishek Singh while the music video has been choreographed by Remo D'souza. It features Varun Dhawan, Pooja Hegde, and Mrunal Thakur.

Mrunal Thakur, Varun Dhawan and Pooja Hegde in a still from Chunnari Chunnari.
Mrunal Thakur, Varun Dhawan and Pooja Hegde in a still from Chunnari Chunnari.

How the internet reacted

However, as soon as the song surfaced on social media, several users reacted to it and it was far away from flattering. One user said, “It must’ve been insanely hard to mess this up.” Another said, “Thanks for destroying the cult song. Not even 1% of the original.” A second user wrote, “Why do they have to butcher the OG songs always?”

“This is bad on unfathomable levels,” read a comment. “What was the need to remake this original song? What do they even gain by doing all this? On YouTube, 90% of the comments are saying that the Salman & Sushmita version of the Chunari Chunari song is still unbeatable today.”

More details

On Saturday, PVR INOX hosted a special film festival honouring the cinematic journey of filmmaker David Dhawan. Titled the David Dhawan Film Festival, the event saw the filmmaker in attendance along with his son, actor Varun Dhawan. However, it was Salman’s presence that emerged as one of the biggest highlights of the evening.

Adding to the fun atmosphere at the event, Salman was heard jokingly telling the crowd about Varun Dhawan, “Isne mera ek aur gaana uthaya,” referring to the recreation of one of his iconic songs. The playful remark left Varun blushing and in stitches. “Bahi rehne do (please stop it, brother),” Varun was seen telling Salman.

In the past, Varun has appeared in other recreated versions of Salman Khan’s popular tracks, including Chalti Hai Kya 9 Se 12 and Oonchi Hai Building.

Salman’s playful remark and the harsh online reaction also come at a time when Chunari Chunari has sparked controversy, triggering a feud involving producer Ramesh Taurani, David Dhawan and veteran producer Vashu Bhagnani over the recreated version of the iconic track. The film releases in theatres on June 5.

  • Santanu Das
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Santanu Das

    Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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