AI toddlers in Bollywood? Varun Dhawan’s Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai teaser sparks backlash

David Dhawan’s attempt to modernise his slapstick legacy has hit a digital wall. While the veteran director is known for his colourful, high-energy comedies, the teaser for his latest film, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, has sparked an intense backlash. Now, fans are sounding the alarm: AI has officially infiltrated Bollywood, and the audience isn’t buying it.

The firestorm

The teaser, starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur, and Pooja Hegde, opens with a sequence that many viewers found unsettling: two AI-generated toddlers discussing their parentage. The digital infants realise that while their mothers are different, they might share the same father—introducing the film’s central "three-way" romantic conflict.

The reaction was swift and merciless. Within hours of the Tuesday release, social media was flooded with criticism regarding the 'creepy' and 'artificial' look of the children.

using ai slop for two kids they could've easily casted some twin kids and call it a day but oh the lack of creativity and efforts in bollywood movies nowdays is killing me https://t.co/HoqQs9ZW2c

— (@alfucore) April 14, 2026

Why can't they have 2 normal kids act in this scene instead of this AI cringefest.

Pathetic to see this much bad AI usage in a trailer, it low key looks like low quality youtube AI short. https://t.co/4wlOOTRv9i

— Celluloid Conversations (@CelluloidConve2) April 14, 2026

A star-studded cast overshadowed

The controversy has largely eclipsed the film's introduction of Jass (Varun Dhawan) and the debut pairing of Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde. Despite a supporting cast featuring Jimmy Sheirgill, Maniesh Paul, and Mouni Roy, the conversation remains firmly fixed on the ethics and aesthetics of the digital opening.

Produced by Tips Films, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai marks Varun’s fourth outing with his father. However, if the digital 'toddler' trend continues, the duo may find that nostalgia, even when paired with a classic Salman Khan track—isn't enough to appease a crowd that prefers human charm over algorithmic generation.

The film is slated for a May 22 release, leaving the makers just over a month to see if they can pivot the marketing away from the 'AI nightmare' and back to the big-screen comedy fans were actually expecting.