Mohit Suri’s ‘Saiyaara’, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, hit cinemas on Friday, July 18. The musical romance opened to an impressive start at the box office.
However, many cinemagoers were quick to draw parallels between ‘Saiyaara’ and the 2004 South Korean film ‘A Moment to Remember’. The storyline of Suri’s latest directorial has been noted for its striking resemblance to the Korean classic, which also centres around a couple navigating the challenges of early-onset Alzheimer’s.
One user wrote, “So #SAIYAARA is a copy of this KOREAN FILM! (Read the synopsis) Mohit Suri has barely made any original film (sic)”.
Another user wrote, “Yes totally copy of A Moment to Remember (sic)”.
‘Saiyaara’ follows the story of Krish Kapur (played by Ahaan Panday), a hot-headed musician, and Vaani (Aneet Padda), a reserved, aspiring journalist. As the two fall in love, their relationship takes an emotional turn when Vaani is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, forcing them to confront an uncertain future.
Similarly, ‘A Moment to Remember’, directed by John H. Lee, revolves around Su-jin (Son Ye-jin) and Chul-soo (Jung Woo-sung), whose relationship is tested by Su-jin’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The film is widely praised for its sensitive portrayal of love and memory, particularly as Chul-soo chooses to stay by Su-jin’s side, helping her hold on to their shared moments.
As of now, the makers of ‘Saiyaara’ have not issued any official statement addressing the comparisons or whether the film is an adaptation of ‘A Moment to Remember’. The film has been written by Sankalp Sadanah, with dialogues by Rohan Shankar.
Despite the controversy, ‘Saiyaara’ has received appreciation for its performances and music. The soundtrack features contributions from Mithoon, Sachet–Parampara, Rishabh Kant, Vishal Mishra, Tanishk Bagchi, Faheem Abdullah, and Arslan Nizami. The film is produced by Yash Raj Films CEO Akshaye Widhani.
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