Tanishk Bagchi accuses YRF of withholding ₹8 lakh royalty for 'Saiyaara' title track
Synopsis
On the first anniversary of 'Saiyaara', composer Tanishk Bagchi went public with a stark claim: YRF still owes him ₹8 lakh in royalties for one of 2025's biggest chartbusters — and his upfront fee was entirely swallowed by production costs, leaving him with zero net earnings. It is a rare public airing of Bollywood's royalty opacity problem.
Key Takeaways
Tanishk Bagchi alleges YRF has not paid him ₹8 lakh in royalties for the 'Saiyaara' title track, as per the royalty statement.
He claims his entire upfront fee from YRF was spent on production — live recordings, mixing, and arrangements — leaving him with no net earnings.
The disclosure came on 18 July , exactly one year after 'Saiyaara' 's release, via an Instagram post.
Bagchi also composed 'Saiyaara Reprise – Female' , performed by Shreya Ghoshal .
He credited director Mohit Suri and lyricist Irshad Kamil as the only individuals he respects from the project.
YRF had not issued a public response as of the time of reporting.
Music composer Tanishk Bagchi has publicly alleged that Yash Raj Films (YRF) has not paid him ₹8 lakh in royalties owed for composing the title track of the 2025 blockbuster 'Saiyaara', despite the song amassing millions of streams across platforms. The allegation, made on Saturday, 18 July — exactly one year after the film's release — has reignited debate over composer remuneration and royalty transparency in the Hindi film industry.
What Tanishk Bagchi Alleged
Bagchi took to Instagram to share the film's poster alongside a lengthy personal statement detailing his experience. He claimed that the amount YRF paid him upfront was entirely consumed by production costs — live recordings, mixing, and arrangements — leaving him with effectively nothing as net earnings. According to him, the royalty statement confirms a pending dues figure of ₹8 lakh.
In his own words: 'What hurts the most is that, as per the royalty statement, I'm still yet to receive just ₹8 lakhs in royalties for a song that has gone on to do millions of streams and views across platforms. Honestly, for the amount of work, time and passion I put into this song, ₹8 lakhs feels like peanuts.'
He added: '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 look at this industry.'
The Making of the Track
Bagchi described his involvement in the 'Saiyaara' title track as all-encompassing — overseeing production, composition, coordination with the lyricist and singers, recording, vocal tuning, sound design, and arrangements. He also composed the 'Saiyaara Reprise – Female', performed by Shreya Ghoshal. He stated that this was his first collaboration with YRF Entertainment and YRF Music, and that he agreed to the terms because he believed in the music.
Who He Credits — and Who He Doesn't
Notably, Bagchi singled out director Mohit Suri and lyricist Irshad Kamil as the only individuals he respects from the entire project, saying it was Suri who brought him on board. His statement drew a sharp contrast between his regard for the creative collaborators and his dissatisfaction with the production house over financial dealings.
He wrote: 'One thing I've also learned is that sometimes you give people your everything, and when success comes, they forget who stood by them.'
Broader Industry Context
'Saiyaara' was among the biggest commercial successes of 2025, widely noted for challenging established industry conventions. The film's music, particularly the title track, became a streaming phenomenon. Bagchi's public disclosure is significant because composer royalty disputes in Bollywood are rarely aired openly — most are settled privately or go unaddressed. His statement signals a shift in how creators are beginning to assert their rights publicly, particularly as streaming platforms generate traceable, auditable revenue data. YRF has not issued a public response to the allegations as of the time of reporting.
Bagchi concluded by saying he would henceforth work only with producers and directors who, in his words, 'value creativity, honesty and the people who build their music.'
Point of View
A documented royalty statement, a rupee figure. Bollywood's composer pay structure has long operated on opaque upfront fees with royalties that rarely flow back to the creator, and streaming has not fixed that; it has merely made the gap more quantifiable. The fact that a composer's entire fee was consumed by production costs he himself bore points to a deeper structural problem: labels routinely pass production risk to composers while retaining streaming upside. Until the industry adopts transparent, auditable royalty disbursement — something the Copyright Act's 2012 amendments attempted but enforcement has not delivered — Bagchi's experience will remain the rule, not the exception.
NationPress
18 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tanishk Bagchi's dispute with YRF over 'Saiyaara'?
Tanishk Bagchi has alleged that Yash Raj Films owes him ₹8 lakh in unpaid royalties for composing the title track of the 2025 film 'Saiyaara', as confirmed by the royalty statement. He also claimed his upfront fee was entirely spent on production costs, leaving him with zero net earnings from the song.
Why did Tanishk Bagchi go public with this allegation?
Bagchi stated he is not seeking sympathy but wants to speak out about the value of creative labour and the sacrifices he made for the song. He said the experience has changed how he views the industry and that he will only work with collaborators who value creativity and honesty going forward.
Who does Tanishk Bagchi hold responsible, and who does he credit?
Bagchi's dissatisfaction is directed at YRF as a production entity over financial dealings. He specifically credited director Mohit Suri, who brought him onto the project, and lyricist Irshad Kamil as the only individuals he respects from the film.
Has YRF responded to Tanishk Bagchi's allegations?
As of the time of reporting, YRF had not issued any public statement in response to Bagchi's allegations.
What work did Tanishk Bagchi do on 'Saiyaara'?
Bagchi composed the 'Saiyaara' title track and the 'Saiyaara Reprise – Female', performed by Shreya Ghoshal. He oversaw the full production process including composition, arrangements, recording, vocal tuning, and sound design for both tracks.
