Amit Jadhav Claims Saiyaara Is A Copy Of His 2019 Short Film Khwabon, Seeks Credit: 'Received A Message From YRF Casting In 2022'

Actor-singer Amit Jadhav has alleged that the 2025 film Saiyaara, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, was copied from his 2019 short film Khwabon. Jadhav claims that despite similarities between the two stories, he has not received any credit. He also stated in an interview that he tried to raise the issue earlier but did not get any response from the makers.

Speaking to HT City recently, Jadhav claimed that he was contacted by Yash Raj Films through its talent division in 2022, though the purpose of the contact was never clarified.

"I had tried speaking up last year too. I had actually received a direct message on Instagram, from YRF Talent in 2022, they wanted to get in touch with me. I asked them which project are they reaching out to me for, they didn’t answer. I didn’t know anyone there, neither had I given any audition for them to reach out," he said.

Jadhav added, "A week after Saiyaara’s release, my friends called me and said ‘Tera toh story same tha’ I was shocked. I tried reaching out to them, even going to their office but my friends said they won’t entertain me or reply."

Earlier, there had also been discussions online suggesting that the plot of Saiyaara resembled the 2004 Korean film A Moment to Remember. However, Jadhav believes the similarities between Saiyaara and his short film are stronger, particularly in relation to the music-based storyline.

The filmmaker said the situation deeply affected his mental health. According to him, he had been trying to expand his short film into a full-length feature for several years.

“I am a singer, so I kept getting work, I relaxed a bit because of that. But one day I almost committed suicide. I was sloshed, my parents saw and that’s how I got saved. I felt like the world doesn’t want me to succeed. I was not called for any auditions,” he says.

Jadhav added that he had been developing a script based on the story and had even secured producers for a project planned for 2025. However, the release of Saiyaara disrupted those plans.

When asked if he had officially registered the script, Jadhav explained that although he is a member of the Screenwriters Association, he did not register the story at the time because the short film had already been publicly released online.

“I am a part of the Screenwriter’s Association, but no I did not get the story registered in 2019 because it was a short film and out on a public platform as proof.”

He also claimed that he tried contacting Yash Raj Films again after the film’s release but received no response. “I wrote in the mail that I had received a mail from them in 2022 as well, and that Saiyaara’s story is similar to mine, iska clarification dijiye. I mailed twice, got no answer.”

For now, Jadhav says he is only seeking acknowledgement for his work. “I should get some credit. Or I can be cast in some role at least in some project. That’s all I am seeking.”

Director Mohit Suri and Yash Raj Films have not reacted to Jadhav's claims yet.

Directed by Suri, Saiyaara is a romantic musical that tells the story of Krish Kapoor, a troubled singer, and Vaani Batra, a poet recovering from heartbreak. Their lives become intertwined when Krish turns her lyrics into music, but their relationship faces tragedy when Vaani is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.