Superstar Salman Khan brought his trademark wit and charm when he joined filmmaker David Dhawan and actor Varun Dhawan at an event in Mumbai on Saturday. The evening took a hilarious turn when Salman jokingly roasted Varun for recreating his iconic song Chunari Chunari for his upcoming film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, leaving the younger star blushing.
Salman roasts Varun
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.
Salman kept it effortlessly stylish in a black T-shirt paired with a leather jacket and denims, instantly reminding fans of his signature fashion era from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Several videos of him arriving at the event have surfaced on social media.
In the clips from the evening, Salman was seen being escorted into the venue by filmmaker David and actor Varun. Other videos captured the superstar sharing laughs and engaging in animated conversations with the father-son duo as they happily posed together for the photographers gathered at the event.
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.
The remark was in reference to the iconic track Chunari Chunari from 1999 film Biwi No. 1, which originally featured Salman Khan and Sushmita Sen. Even years after its release, the chartbuster continues to hold a special place in the hearts of Bollywood fans and remains one of Salman’s most memorable songs.
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.
Chunari Chunari has now been recreated for the upcoming film Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, with the new version featuring Varun alongside Pooja Hegde and Mrunal Thakur.
Feud over Chunari Chunari
Salman’s playful remark also comes 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 controversy centres around allegations made by Vashu Bhagnani regarding the recreation and reuse of songs associated with one of his films without his consent. Bhagnani has repeatedly described the issue as an ethical matter rather than a financial dispute. He has also expressed disappointment over filmmaker David Dhawan’s alleged involvement in recreating songs linked to his films for Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai.
Speaking at the trailer launch event of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, producer Ramesh Taurani addressed the ongoing controversy, stating that the matter is being handled and will not impact the film’s promotions or release. Later, Vashu Bhagnani denied claims by Ramesh Taurani that a legal dispute over the song from Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has been resolved. Produced by Tips Films Ltd and co-produced by Maximilian Films (UK), Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on June 5, 2026.
