Bollywood’s Saiyaara Faces Questions Over Resemblance to Korean Classic

Mumbai — Mohit Suri’s latest romantic drama, Saiyaara, featuring debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, has taken the box office by storm, grossing ₹21 crore on its opening day and reaching ₹45 crore within two days of its July 18 release. However, the film’s success is now overshadowed by online discussions questioning its originality, with many netizens pointing out similarities to the 2004 South Korean film A Moment to Remember, directed by John H. Lee and starring Son Ye-jin and Jung Woo-sung.

Saiyaara tells the story of Krish Kapoor, played by Ahaan Panday, a fiery musician, and Vaani, portrayed by Aneet Padda, an aspiring journalist. The film has been lauded for its soulful music and the compelling performances of its leads. Yet, social media platforms, particularly X, have seen a surge of posts highlighting parallels between Saiyaara and A Moment to Remember. The Korean film centers on a couple grappling with the woman’s early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, a theme that appears to echo in Saiyaara’s narrative.

Posts on X have fueled the debate, with one user stating, “So #SAIYAARA is a copy of this KOREAN FILM! (Read the synopsis) Mohit Suri has barely made any original film.” Another remarked, “Adapted from a Korean Movie ‘A Moment to Remember’. Story more or less similar to Aashiqui 2. Goes around Music, Love, Memory Loss, Emotions.” A third user passionately defended the original, posting, “#SAIYAARA… Korean movie A Moment to Remember is Musterpiece ❤️😭Please Original ko bhi thoda credit do 😡 Original movie Alag level ki hai.”

The makers of Saiyaara have not yet issued a statement addressing whether the film is an official remake or merely draws inspiration from A Moment to Remember. Despite the controversy, the film continues to resonate with audiences, driven by its emotional storytelling and strong performances.