'He has his reasons': 'Chunnari Chunnari' remake creators respond to Abhijeet Bhattacharya's criticism

The newly unveiled recreation of the iconic 90s track 'Chunnari Chunnari', part of the upcoming Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde-starrer 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai', has taken the internet by storm. But behind the viral buzz lies swirling criticism and disapproval from fans and original singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya. Amid an ongoing legal dispute over the song's rights, the creators of the remix track, Akshay Raheja and IP Singh have broken their silence.

Akshay Raheja and IP Singh react to Abhijeet Bhattacharya's disapproval

In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Akshay Raheja and IP Singh shared, "He's a veteran, and there's only respect for him from our end. I'm sure he has his point of view, he has his experience, and he has reasons to say whatever he's saying. For us, he is a legend; we have grown up listening to his songs. So, we just hope that sooner or later, he also gives us his blessings because we are kids trying to do something here."

Akshay echoed that sentiment, adding context around the evolution of music. He added, "He's a legend. He must be coming from a place because he originally recorded this song. His expression is coming from his experience. Now, obviously, the style of music has changed and evolved. So, it's completely fine for him to have this view, as everyone has their own thoughts. We have received so much love from Anu Malik ji, Sameer ji, so it can't get better. We are mostly grateful and focusing on the positives."

Akshay Raheja and IP Singh's response to criticism

Not everyone has embraced the new version. Some netizen feel the recreation falls short of the beloved original. The duo, however, is taking the pushback in stride.

IP added, "Art is subjective. Some people will like it, some people won't. In the end, we know that we worked on it from our side with our whole hearts. We tried to honour the essence of the song and its nostalgia. After a week maybe, they also start to like it."

Akshay, meanwhile, points to the trust of seasoned industry professionals as a marker of quality. He said, "When we work with so many senior artistes like David ji, Kumar ji, Ramesh ji, there has to be some merit that it is a good song, that's why it got selected and released."

More about 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai'

Directed by David Dhawan, the film features Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde in the lead roles. The film is set to arrive in cinemas on June 5, 2026.