Amaal Mallik Accuses Tanishk Bagchi of Plagiarism and Royalty Dispute Over Saiyaara Title Track

When a veteran composer takes to X to call out a peer, the ripple extends beyond the studio.

On Thursday, Amaal Mallik—a prominent Hindi‑film composer—posted a scathing critique on X that targets fellow composer Tanishk Bagchi, though the post never names Bagchi directly. Mallik accuses him of copying songs, taking credit from other musicians, and behaving inconsistently in royalty disputes.

The controversy centers on the title track of the 2025 film Saiyaara, produced by Yash Raj Films (YRF). The track, released on 4 July 2025, lists Bagchi as one of the composers. Mallik claims that the song was derived from earlier work by musicians Faheem Abdullah and Arsalan Nizami, and urges the original creators to release a new song, “Saiyaan Mere,” to demonstrate the similarities. No evidence supporting the plagiarism claim has been presented.

The allegations also touch on a broader dispute over royalties. In early July, Bagchi posted on X that he had not yet received the Rs 8 lakh royalty fee for the Saiyaara title track. YRF responded that the dues were shared with all collaborators and that every contributor had been paid. Bagchi subsequently deleted the post after the studio’s statement. Mallik’s criticism suggests that Bagchi had privately complained that YRF owed him money but avoided a public confrontation because of the studio’s influence.

Mallik’s message further accuses Bagchi of copying melodies from Pakistani songs, folk music, other composers, and online covers. He also alleges that the Saiyaara track bears similarities to the song “Humnawa Mere.” The post hints that singer Jubin Nautiyal and composer Rocky Khanna have remained silent due to professional ties, but no confirmation from either party has been reported.

In addition to the royalty and plagiarism claims, Mallik touches on alleged misconduct toward female singers. He suggests that women in the industry have grievances against Bagchi but have not publicly raised them through the Me Too movement. The allegations are unverified, and no female singers have publicly supported the claim.

Mallik’s post also criticizes Bagchi for selectively targeting Yash Raj Films while avoiding a public dispute with T‑Series chairman Bhushan Kumar. According to the post, Bagchi had privately complained that T‑Series owed him money but refrained from confronting the label publicly.

Neither Bagchi nor YRF has issued a response to Mallik’s accusations. The composer has not publicly commented on the allegations, and no statements have been released by YRF regarding the specific claims of plagiarism or misconduct.

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in the Bollywood music industry over royalty payments and creative ownership. Earlier this year, the Saiyaara soundtrack, which features seven songs from multiple composers, topped Spotify’s global viral charts and contributed to the film’s commercial success, grossing over ₹5.79 billion worldwide.

While the allegations remain unverified, they underscore the challenges that composers face when negotiating credit and compensation in a highly collaborative environment. Industry observers note that disputes over royalties and song ownership are not uncommon, and that clear contractual agreements are essential to prevent such conflicts.

At present, the situation remains unresolved. Mallik’s post has sparked discussion on X, but no further statements from Bagchi or YRF have been reported. The music community continues to monitor the situation as additional information becomes available.