Music composer Tanishk Bagchi has publicly shared his disappointment over the earnings and recognition he received for the title track of Saiyaara. His comments came on July 18, when the film completed one year since its release.
Bagchi posted an emotional note on Instagram about his experience of working on the song. He said it was his first film with Yash Raj Films and YRF Music, and that he had agreed to the work because he believed in the music. Soon after his post, Yash Raj Films issued a clarification, saying payments and royalties had been handled according to the agreed contract.
Tanishk Bagchi shares his account of working on the song
In his post, Bagchi wrote that he had given the song his complete attention, from production and composition to working with the lyricist and singers. He also mentioned recording, vocal tuning, sound and arrangements as parts of the process that mattered to him.
According to Bagchi, the amount paid to him by YRF was nominal and went into live recordings and mixes. He wrote that what was left for him was “zero”. He also claimed that, as per the royalty statement, he was still to receive ₹8 lakhs in royalties for a song that had received millions of streams and views across platforms.
Bagchi said the amount felt too low when compared with the time, effort and passion he had put into the track. He said he had expected a song of that scale to earn much more.
The composer also clarified that he was not writing the post to seek sympathy. He said he wanted to put his experience on record because he knew what he had invested in the song. Bagchi added that the experience had changed the way he looked at the industry and that he would now work only with producers and directors who valued creativity, honesty and the people behind music.
In the same post, Bagchi mentioned director Mohit Suri and lyricist Irshad Kamil with respect, saying they were the people because of whom he did the film.
YRF responds to royalty claim
Yash Raj Films responded with an official statement after Bagchi’s post. The studio described the Saiyaara title track as a collaboration between three composers: Tanishk Bagchi, Faheem Abdullah and Arslan Nizami.
The YRF spokesperson said the banner was thankful for the composers’ work on the song, which it described as having reached many listeners. The statement said royalties for the title track had been shared and would continue to be shared equally between the three composers, as contractually agreed by all parties, including Bagchi.
YRF also said it had paid every collaborator their due as per contract, within the mutually agreed terms and timeline.
First anniversary event for Saiyaara
The exchange took place on the same day Saiyaara marked its first anniversary. To mark the occasion, lead actors Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda visited Wembley Stadium in London. They unveiled an exclusive Collector’s Edition Vinyl LP of the film’s soundtrack.
The soundtrack was a major part of the film’s public identity, and the vinyl release was presented as a commemorative edition for fans of the music.
With Bagchi and YRF now placing their positions in public, the matter has drawn attention to how music royalties and credit are handled in film projects. The dispute is centered on the Saiyaara title track, the contractual royalty split, and Bagchi’s claim that the returns did not reflect the work he put into the song.
Source: Bollywood Hungama.