Ricky Kej questions 'Vvan' plagiarism row: How did Sargam Vaish's unreleased song reach makers?
Synopsis
Days before 'Vvan' hits theatres, independent artist Sargam Vaish claims its trailer used 25 seconds of his unreleased track 'Aigiri Nandini' — master recording, production, and vocals intact — without permission. Grammy winner and CBFC member Ricky Kej's public question about how producers accessed an unreleased file has sharpened the controversy significantly.
Key Takeaways
Independent artist Sargam Vaish accused the makers of 'Vvan' of using his unreleased song 'Aigiri Nandini' without permission in the film's trailer.
The disputed usage runs from 1 minute 8 seconds to 1 minute 33 seconds — a total of 25 seconds — in the trailer.
CBFC member and Grammy winner Ricky Kej publicly asked how the makers accessed the master recording before its release.
Vaish said the song had already been committed to another film under a deal with a major label, potentially creating additional legal liability.
Film 'Vvan' , directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and produced by Balaji Telefilms and TVF , is set for theatrical release on 25 September 2026 .
Vaish has threatened legal action if the song is not removed from both the trailer and the final film.
Independent artist Sargam Vaish has accused the makers of upcoming Bollywood film 'Vvan' — starring Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia — of using a section of his unreleased song 'Aigiri Nandini' without his consent in the film's recently released trailer, triggering a copyright dispute that has drawn in Grammy-winning musician and CBFC member Ricky Kej. The controversy erupted on Monday, 21 September 2026, just days before the film's scheduled theatrical release on 25 September.
What Sargam Vaish Alleged
Vaish uploaded a video on his official Instagram handle in which he claimed the makers used his master recording, production, and vocals without permission. 'I have been working on a project for three years, and one song from that has been used in the film Vvan's trailer that was recently released, without my permission,' he stated. He identified the usage as spanning 1 minute 8 seconds to 1 minute 33 seconds — a 25-second segment — in the trailer.
Vaish also warned of commercial consequences, noting that the song had already been committed to another major project under a deal with a prominent label. 'I have signed a deal with a big label; if that is affected, they will be responsible for this,' he said, adding that his legal team would intervene if the song was not removed from both the trailer and the film.
Ricky Kej's Pointed Question
As the post gained traction on social media, Ricky Kej, a CBFC member and three-time Grammy winner, weighed in from the comments section of the post, asking Vaish: 'How did they get access to your master recording when you had not released it yet?'
The question spotlighted a critical dimension of the dispute: the song was reportedly unreleased and had been shared with a separate production house through a prior agreement — raising concerns about how it allegedly reached the 'Vvan' team. Vaish responded directly to Kej, writing: '@rickykej Sir, I'm a big fan of yours, so it genuinely means a lot that you noticed this. The song was already given to another big movie and was still unreleased. Somehow, it reached this movie through another circle and was used before the original project. That's exactly what I'm trying to understand as well.'
About the Film 'Vvan'
'Vvan' is directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Arunabh Kumar, and is produced by Balaji Telefilms and TVF. The film stars Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia and is scheduled to release in theatres on 25 September 2026. Neither the producers, the director, nor the studio had publicly responded to the allegations at the time of publication.
What Happens Next
Vaish has threatened formal legal action if the song is not pulled from the trailer and the final film cut. The dispute also raises broader questions about how unreleased master recordings circulate between film productions — a concern that, if substantiated, could point to contractual or confidentiality lapses in the supply chain. With the film's release less than a week away, the matter is likely to move quickly.
Point of View
There are contractual and confidentiality questions that go well beyond a trailer dispute. Kej's comment, pointed and public, effectively moved this from a social media post to a credibility test for the producers. Balaji Telefilms and TVF's silence as of publication is conspicuous. The music industry has long complained about informal networks through which unreleased material travels between productions; if Vaish's account holds up, this case could become a useful test of how courts treat pre-release master recordings in the age of multi-project licensing.
NationPress
21 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What has Sargam Vaish accused the makers of 'Vvan' of doing?
Sargam Vaish has accused the makers of 'Vvan' of using a 25-second segment of his unreleased song 'Aigiri Nandini' — including its master recording, production, and vocals — without his permission in the film's trailer. He has threatened legal action if the material is not removed from both the trailer and the film.
Why did Ricky Kej get involved in the 'Vvan' plagiarism dispute?
Grammy-winning musician and CBFC member Ricky Kej commented on Sargam Vaish's Instagram post, publicly asking how the film's makers accessed a master recording that had not yet been released. His intervention drew wider attention to the legal and ethical dimensions of the dispute.
How did the unreleased song allegedly reach the 'Vvan' makers?
According to Sargam Vaish, the song had been shared with a different production as part of a prior deal and remained unreleased. He said it 'somehow reached this movie through another circle' — but added that he was still trying to understand the full chain of events.
When is 'Vvan' releasing, and who made it?
'Vvan' is scheduled for theatrical release on 25 September 2026. The film is directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra and Arunabh Kumar, produced by Balaji Telefilms and TVF, and stars Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia.
What legal steps has Sargam Vaish said he will take?
Vaish has warned that his legal team will pursue action if the song is not removed from the trailer and the final cut of the film. He also noted that the unauthorised use could affect his existing deal with a major label, for which he holds the producers responsible.
