You could call it five hours of hope for a five-minute window. The actor’s trip to Lucknow for the film’s promo made waves on social media once a fan let on she had been there for hours and still came up empty. Varun was quick to own up to it, with the early, police-ordered exit as his reason. In some ways, it’s the week’s most talked-about moment from the tour.
Here are the key beats fans are talking about:
– Wait time stretched to nearly five hours
– Varun was present for around five minutes
– The actor posted an open apology
– Police asked the team to leave early
– A bigger venue was promised next time
One woman put a video on her Instagram to make the case: the crowd at Phoenix Mall had been on their feet for close to five hours. “We waited for 5 hours and he came for just 5 min,” she wrote.
What sparked the apology
He didn’t let it go unanswered. “Sorry, I couldn’t give an autograph; we were made to leave a lil early by the cops,” Varun typed in the comments. It’s a small example of how a little disarray in crowd control can put a damper on what should be a star-fan meet and greet.
Promise to do better next time
In a story later on, Varun made a note of the size of the turnout and said the next time he’s in Lucknow, they’ll have a bigger space and better organisation so it doesn’t happen again. It was a good way to de-escalate, but it also speaks to the hard truth of these mall events: safety is non-negotiable.
Crowds, buzz, and a clock that moves fast
The film has been on a multi-city run with Varun and Mrunal Thakur in tow, and the Lucknow leg was no different in drawing in the masses and the usual online buzz.
People show up for the in-person experience, for the selfies and the ink on paper. But when the clock runs out and you have to make a hasty exit, the ones who are left out are the first to be heard from.
Meanwhile, a soundtrack tug-of-war
Then there’s the matter of the music. As the roadshow picks up, the film has waded into a legal tangle. Vashu Bhagnani of Puja Entertainment says he is the one with the rights to the 1999 hit Chunari Chunari from Biwi No. 1. He told us he was stung to see it remixed without his say-so.
Bhagnani says he was ready to talk but the song was put out anyway, and his side has now gone to court, which has given them some interim cover.
Tips, for its part, has come out with a statement to the effect that they are the rightful owners of the music, with papers to prove it. They’ve been making use of those rights for the better part of 30 years.
Not a remake, says the studio
And while there’s been some chatter about where the film comes from, Tips has put out a notice to set the record straight: the story and screenplay of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai are all original. You won’t find any parallels to another movie.
Release timeline and what to watch for
The trailer is due May 21 before the final push. We get to see Pooja Hegde with Varun and Mrunal in theatres on June 5, 2026.
It’s David Dhawan’s fourth time in the director’s chair with Varun, if you count Main Tera Hero, Judwaa 2 and Coolie No. 1. What you can count on is the kind of high-octane masala his films are known for.
But how it’s put together is what will be seen. With the crowds and the law in the mix, the team has to be on top of things. We’ll see if they iron out the kinks in the coming days and if the Chunari Chunari row is put to rest.
As for the fans in Lucknow who were let down, Varun has given his word. Next time around, he can’t afford to be in and out in a flash.
