Vashu Bhagnani Slams David Dhawan Over Song Reuse, Calls It an Ethical Breach

"He should have come to me..": Vashu Bhagnani on intellectual property dispute with David Dhawan

New Delhi, May 22

The controversy is tied to the proposed release of 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai', starring Varun Dhawan.

Bhagnani claimed he was emotionally hurt after discovering that songs associated with one of his films had allegedly been recreated and reused without his consent.

"At least mere paas aate aur kehte Vashu mai yeh gaana karna hai mera beta hai..(He shouldn't have taken these songs. (At least he should have come to me and told me what to do my son is there)....How can you shoot the same songs for another producer? There has to be ethics in the industry......," Bhagnani said.

The producer repeatedly stressed that while legal proceedings are underway, his biggest disappointment stems from his personal relationship with David Dhawan.

"David is my brother. I have had lunch and dinner with him. I gave my life for him," Bhagnani said emotionally. "Financially it is fine, but emotionally the whole family is broken."

Bhagnani alleged that the trailer launch connected to the project was not cancelled because of a "technical glitch," as initially reported, but because those involved were allegedly aware of the seriousness of the ongoing court matter.

The ace producer said, "They cancelled because they were aware about the contempt of court. Now they have gone and filed in Patna court. They knew very clearly that if anything happened, it would be contempt of court. But they made an excuse by calling it a glitch."

The producer repeatedly stressed that his battle is not about money, but about "ethics" and protecting producers' rights in the film industry.

"My fight is not for me. My fight is for the public. It is about justice and ethics," Bhagnani stated.

Bhagnani further revealed that neither he nor his legal team directly contacted the organisers before the cancellation. According to him, the decision was likely taken internally after legal advisors allegedly warned about the seriousness of the matter.

The producer alleged that despite public awareness around the court case over the past several days, the event preparations continued until the final moment, before being abruptly halted.

Bhagnani also claimed that a fresh legal filing was subsequently moved in Patna following the cancellation.

While the controversy has now intensified publicly, Bhagnani maintained that he has no objection to any film release itself and remains open to settlement and dialogue.

"Remove my visuals, do a deal with me, or take permission, that's all I am asking," he said.

Speaking in detail about the controversy, Bhagnani explained that he has been associated with the film industry since 1994.

"At that time, we used to give the video to Shemaroo, Ultra and other people. And we used to give audio to Tips and Venus. But I used to give to Tips," said the producer.

According to Bhagnani, the dispute escalated after he discovered that songs from one of his films had allegedly been recreated and used in another project without his approval.

"How can you shoot the same songs for another producer? There has to be ethics in the industry," he said, appearing visibly hurt.

Throughout the interaction, Bhagnani repeatedly referenced legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar and praised his efforts toward protecting creators' royalties and rights within the entertainment industry.

"I salute Javed saab. He fought for musicians and writers to get their rights," Bhagnani said.

The veteran producer further reflected on the financial struggles faced by many filmmakers and argued that intellectual property remains the only long-term asset for producers.

He also clarified that he has no personal issue with actor Varun Dhawan, calling him "like a son," but insisted that ethical accountability is necessary within the industry.

"There is nothing personal. But technically and ethically, people have to talk," he said.

Vashu Bhagnani recently welcomed the interim protection granted to Puja Entertainment in its ongoing legal dispute against Tips Music over the alleged unauthorised use of Bollywood intellectual property rights, calling the court's decision a "victory for all producers."

The case also concerns the proposed release and exploitation of Varun Dhawan-starrer 'Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai.' In statements issued to the press through Bhagnani's lawyer, it was asserted that the court's "status quo" order applies to all music rights, songs and films mentioned in the suit."I believe they have not gone through the court order carefully. The order clearly states that the entire music rights, songs, and films mentioned in the plaintiff's suit are covered under the 'status quo' order," the lawyer said.

The statement further added, "Certainly, all actors, director David Dhawan, producers, technicians, and every other person involved in the matter will have to appear before the Court and submit their reply; otherwise, they may be liable to face contempt of court proceedings."

Bhagnani's legal team also described the interim relief as an important development for producers in the film industry. "Certainly, this is a victory for all producers, and they must come together to assert and protect their rights," the statement read, adding, "Music companies have been earning enormous revenues from the open market based on investments and rights originally belonging to producers."

The producer further alleged that remixed and recreated song was being monetised without proper permissions.Referring to the recreation of song from his films, the lawyer stated, "If someone misuses it without my consent, my rights are directly affected and it also causes me substantial financial loss."

The statement also claimed that neither Bhagnani nor his company had been informed about the alleged recreation of the song. "No, they neither approached me nor informed me in any manner regarding the recreation of the song," it said.

— ANI