Producer Vashu Bhagnani revealed on 22 May that actor Varun Dhawan has not reached out to him in over two years — not even after their 2020 collaboration 'Coolie No. 1' reportedly suffered a loss of ₹27 crore. The disclosure came during a virtual press conference Bhagnani held in connection with his ongoing legal dispute against director David Dhawan and music label Tips Industries.

The Legal Dispute at the Centre

Bhagnani has filed a lawsuit in Katihar, Bihar, against Tips Industries and associated parties, alleging unauthorised use of intellectual property tied to older Bollywood productions, including the hit film 'Biwi No.1'. The immediate trigger, according to Bhagnani, was the recreation of the iconic song 'Chunari Chunari' from 'Biwi No.1' for the upcoming film 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai', which stars Varun Dhawan. Bhagnani contends that while Tips may hold the audio rights, recreation permissions linked to the underlying film-based intellectual property still required his consent.

What Vashu Bhagnani Said About Varun Dhawan

Speaking candidly at the press conference, Bhagnani said: 'Very honestly, after this case, there is some bitterness in all relationships. But Varun hasn't called me in 2 years anyway. We made Coolie No. 1 in 2020, suffered a loss of ₹27 crore, he never even bothered to ask how I was doing. If he maintains the relationship, fine. If not, that is fine too. I lost a lot of money being with him. He is like my child, children make mistakes. Father and son, so be it.'

The remarks reflect a relationship that Bhagnani describes as both personal and professional — one he feels has not been reciprocated. Notably, 'Coolie No. 1' was released directly on a streaming platform in December 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, which industry observers have cited as a factor in its commercial underperformance.

The Emotional Toll on the Producer

Bhagnani did not hold back on the personal anguish the dispute has caused him. 'My heart is broken. I am not afraid of anyone in this world, not even my father. I am proud that I have never done wrong to anyone. But I am broken because after doing so much, they are making me out to be the thief, the fool. Varun Dhawan is saying these things. David Ji is saying these things. Ramesh Ji too. There is no need for this,' he said.

He also left the door open for an out-of-court resolution, stating: 'We had such a good relationship. Even now I am saying, call them on this call, I will settle it in 10 minutes. But if they don't want to, how can it be settled? They were so confident until 3 days ago: What can Vashu do to us?'

What Happens Next

The lawsuit is currently before a court in Katihar, Bihar, with the case centring on intellectual property rights over film-linked content. The outcome could have broader implications for how music labels and filmmakers navigate recreation rights for catalogue songs in Bollywood. With 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai' in production, the legal cloud adds uncertainty to the film's release timeline.