Tanishk Bagchi Raises Royalty Concerns Over Saiyaara Title Track; YRF Responds
Tanishk Bagchi, the composer behind several Hindi‑film hits, publicly questioned the royalty payment he received for the title track of the 2025 film Saiyaara. In a social‑media post dated 19 July 2026, Bagchi said the royalty reflected in his statement was about ₹8 lakh, a figure he described as “peanuts” given the song’s global streaming success. Yash Raj Films (YRF) issued a statement the same day that all contractual payments had been made and that royalties were being distributed according to the agreements signed by all contributors.
Saiyaara was released theatrically on 18 July 2025 and quickly became a commercial hit, grossing over ₹5.79 billion worldwide. The title track, sung by Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, broke several streaming records. According to reports from Bollywood Hungama and Firstpost, the song entered Spotify’s Global Top 10, peaking at number 5, and accumulated 3.87 million streams globally in its first 24 hours. In India alone, the track logged 3.61 million streams, making it the most‑played Bollywood song in a single day.
Bagchi’s post highlighted that he had invested substantial time and effort into the song’s composition, recording, and arrangements. He noted that a large portion of the fee he received was spent on production costs, and that the royalty amount did not reflect the work required to create one of the film’s biggest musical hits. He added that the experience had altered his view of the music industry and royalty structures.
YRF’s response clarified that the Saiyaara title track was a collaboration between Bagchi, Faheem Abdullah, and Arslan Nizami. The production house stated that royalties were shared equally among the three composers as mutually agreed. The company said all contractual payments had been made and that royalty distributions were being handled according to the signed agreements.
Shortly after YRF released its statement, Bagchi’s social‑media post was removed from his account. The composer has not publicly explained the removal. The incident has reignited discussions around royalty distribution, composer compensation, and revenue‑sharing models in India’s music industry, where streaming now accounts for roughly 70 % of overall music revenue.
The dispute comes at a time when digital platforms are reshaping how artists earn from hit songs. Industry data indicates that streaming revenue in India grew from ₹1.67 billion in 2020 to ₹4.49 billion in 2024, a 30.9 % increase year‑on‑year. The case underscores the need for transparent royalty calculations and clear contractual terms, especially for collaborative projects where multiple composers contribute.
At present, YRF maintains that all dues have been settled, while Bagchi’s claim remains unverified by independent sources. The removal of the post has left the matter unresolved, and no further statements have been issued by either party.
The episode highlights the broader industry trend of questioning how streaming earnings translate into royalty payments for creators, and it may prompt further scrutiny of royalty agreements in Bollywood film music.
