- Legal dispute between Pooja Entertainment and Tips Music involves the Chunari Chunari song
- Tips claims lawful ownership of song rights and has Supreme Court relief
- Pooja Entertainment says Supreme Court order was obtained without informing them, plans to challenge it
The legal tussle between Vashu Bhagnani-led Pooja Entertainment and Tips Music Limited over the alleged unauthorised use of songs from Biwi No 1 in Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai has intensified.
The dispute centres around the use of the iconic track Chunari Chunari in the upcoming David Dhawan directorial. While Pooja Entertainment reportedly moved court over the matter, Tips has maintained that it holds the lawful rights to the songs and has already secured relief from the Supreme Court.
The Statement
In a statement shared on Instagram, Tips addressed the allegations made by Pooja Entertainment, saying, "We wish to inform the public at large regarding the allegations made by Puja Entertainment (India) Limited ("PEIL") against Tips Music Limited ("Tips") concerning the alleged infringement of copyright and the use of the songs "Chunnari Chunnari" and "Ishq Sona Hai" in the forthcoming film "Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai.""
The company further asserted, "Tips categorically maintains that it is the absolute and lawful owner of the relevant copyrights and associated rights in the said works. PEIL's allegations are disputed. Tips clarifies that it has taken all necessary and appropriate steps in accordance with law, including obtaining relief from the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India vide its order dated 22 May 2026."
The statement concluded, "Tips remains committed to protecting its rights and is actively pursuing all appropriate legal remedies in consultation with its legal advisors and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations."
Reacting to this, Puja Entertainment's counsel told NDTV, "We have just come to know about the order passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. The said order was obtained without serving us or informing us about the proceedings. Therefore, we are in the process of filing an application for vacating the said order, as it was obtained without our knowledge and without placing the complete facts and merits of the matter before the Honourable Court."
Vashu Bhagnani Calls It A Wider Fight For Producers
Earlier, while speaking to ANI, producer Vashu Bhagnani described the legal battle as a "victory for all producers" and explained the roots of the dispute, which he says date back to the way rights were traditionally handled in the Hindi film industry.
According to Bhagnani, before the digital era transformed the business, film rights were largely divided into audio and video rights. Music labels were typically granted audio rights in perpetuity, while video rights were licensed separately for limited periods, usually five years, after which producers could renegotiate terms.
Bhagnani said that as streaming emerged and digital monetisation became significant, producers began revisiting old agreements. He claimed that in 2018, he approached Tips seeking the return of digital video rights for films his banner had produced with the label.
"We told them that whatever you have earned via audio, that is not ours because we gave it to you for perpetuity. But the digital video rights are ours," he said.
The producer also linked the current dispute to his long-standing professional relationship with director David Dhawan. After Coolie No 1 (2020), produced by Pooja Entertainment and directed by Dhawan, the two sides had reportedly discussed future collaborations involving Varun Dhawan and Rohit Dhawan.
However, Bhagnani claimed that plans changed when David Dhawan and producer Ramesh Taurani began work on Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai.
Speaking during a virtual press conference, Bhagnani said, "3 months later, I learned that Ramesh Taurani and David Dhawan had joined hands to make a film. I felt a little bad, but then I realised that I can't stop them. One year later, I saw 'Chunari Chunari' was a part of that film. I called David Dhawan and asked them, 'How can you do this?'"
He further alleged, "We sold the audio rights of Biwi No 1 to Tips at the time of release. Wog log badmaashi karke video chala rahe the. They were not even ready to meet us over this issue. We shared a letter in the court, due to which the court granted us status quo."
Bhagnani also questioned the ethics behind the move, saying, "How can David Dhawan use the same songs from our film in his son's movie, that too for a Ramesh Taurani production? There should be some ethics in the industry."
He added that a simple phone call from the filmmaker could have avoided the dispute altogether: "At least, he should have called and told me, 'Vashu ji, main same gaana mere bete ke liye kar raha hoon. I hope you don't have an objection. Please support.' I would have given the NOC and would not have minded also."
Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is currently scheduled to hit cinemas on June 5.
