A year after ‘Saiyaara’ emerged as one of the biggest grossers in Indian cinema and became Ahaan Panday i Aneet Padda in overnight stars, the film has returned to the limelight for a different reason. Music composer Tanishk Bagchi has alleged that he is still waiting for royalty payments worth Rs 8 lakh for the film’s title song despite its huge success on music streaming platforms. The songwriter took to Instagram to share a detailed note, saying the theme was not about pandering to the public but about highlighting the value of creative work in the music industry.Remembering his experience working in the Mohit Suri directorial, Tanishk revealed that ‘Saiyaara’ marked his first collaboration with YRF Entertainment and YRF Music. According to him, he accepted the project because he believed in his music and was completely invested in bringing the main track to life.“This was my first film with @yrfentertainment @yrfmusic… I agreed with everything because I believed in music. I gave this song everything I had. From production to composition, working with lyricist and singers, recording, vocal tuning, sound, arrangements, every detail mattered to me. I treated it like it was my own. Even though it was the live mix I was doing, YRF had the nominal amount… the what was left was zero Yes, that’s what I won with such a great song,” he wrote.Tanishk further stated, “What hurts me the most is that according to the copyright statement, I am still without a mere 8 lakhs in royalties for a song that has got millions of plays and views across platforms. Honestly, for the amount of work, time and passion I have put into this song, 8 lakh rupees seems like a genuine scale that would have reached this song. It earned a lot more.”
YRF responds to Tanishk Bagchi’s claims
After Tanishk Bagchi’s post on social media, Yash Raj Films issued an official statement addressing the composer’s allegations regarding royalty payments for the title track of ‘Saiyaara’.A YRF spokesperson said, “Saiyaara title track was a beautiful collaboration between three composers (Tanishk Bagchi along with Faheem Abdullah and Arslan Nizami). We are deeply grateful for their brilliance in creating a timeless song that has touched a million hearts. The copyright of the title song has been and will continue to be shared by YRF equally among the three composers as contractually agreed upon by all including Tanishk. YRF has paid each contributor their debt, as per the contract, all within mutually agreed terms and deadlines.”The statement comes after Tanishk claimed that he was yet to receive Rs 8 lakh in royalty payments for the chart-topping track. The YRF, however, maintained that all payments have been made as per the contractual agreement signed by the three composers and future royalties will continue to be shared equally as stipulated in the contract.
A lesson from experience
The composer clarified that his publication was not intended to gain sympathy but to shed light on the realities faced by musicians behind successful projects.“I’m not writing this for sympathy. I’m writing this because I know what I put into this song, and I know the sacrifices I made to bring it to life… This experience has changed the way I see this industry. From now on, I will only work with producers and directors who value creativity, honesty, and the people who build their music,” he wrote.Reflecting on the aftermath of the film’s success, she added: “One thing I’ve also learned is that sometimes you give everything to people, and when success comes, they forget who stood by them. Anyway, I leave the rest to God. Time tells all stories and karma settles all accounts. The only person I respect in this whole film is @mohitsuri… and for him @official I made this film.”
The Legacy of ‘Saiyaara’
The title track of ‘Saiyaara’ was composed by Tanishk Bagchi along with Faheem Abdullah and Arslan Nizami. Written by Irshad Kamil and sung by Faheem Abdullah, the song became one of the biggest chartbusters of the year.Released in July last year, ‘Saiyaara’ grossed Rs 577 crore worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing romantic film in Indian cinema and one of the biggest hits of the year. Directed by Mohit Suri, the film featured Ahaan Panday in his Bollywood debut opposite Aneet Padda in her first leading role. The romantic drama, which follows the journey of musician Krish and journalist and poet Vaani Batra, was praised for its music, performances and emotional storytelling and is currently streaming on Netflix.