Trade analysts expect Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai to pull a Rs. 7-8 crore opening day box office collection when it hits theaters on June 5. The release carries heavy emotional weight for the Hindi film industry, arriving just days after Karan Johar confirmed via social media that the project is David Dhawan’s final directorial venture before his official retirement.
Industry veterans like Taran Adarsh note the Varun Dhawan-led comedy is pushing hard for a double-digit start. Because it leans entirely on its appeal as a rare solo-hero family entertainer, the box office numbers will rely almost completely on strong day-one walk-ins to build momentum.
The director’s farewell tour hit a severe legal roadblock this week. Producer Vashu Bhagnani and his Puja Entertainment filed a Rs. 400 crore lawsuit in the Bombay High Court against David Dhawan and Tips Industries. Bhagnani is seeking an urgent injunction over the alleged unauthorized use and recreation of the 1999 Biwi No. 1 tracks “Chunari Chunari” and “Ishq Sona Hai.”
The lawsuit demands the immediate removal of both songs from the film and requests an additional Rs. 100 crore in damages. The court battle complicates what was supposed to be a celebratory curtain call for Dhawan’s legacy, capping a career that pioneered the highly successful “No. 1” slapstick comedy franchise of the 1990s and early 2000s alongside Govinda and Salman Khan.