‘I also cried...’ 'Saiyaara' composer Tanishk Bagchi defends viral fan reactions

From viral audience reactions to emotional stories pouring in online, ‘Saiyaara’ seems to have struck a raw nerve. Viewers are posting videos of themselves crying during screenings, clutching their hearts in packed cinemas, and even watching it with an IV drip in hand. While some have mocked the dramatic responses, composer Tanishk Bagchi isn’t surprised, he admits the film got to him too.

Speaking to News18, the composer opened up about his own experience watching the film.

“When I watched the film, I also cried,” he said.

Tanishk, who worked on the title track of Saiyaara, explained that while he’s watched many emotional movies, including some big Hollywood dramas, it’s the music in Saiyaara that really pulls at your soul.

He shared, “The music in this film haunts you. It gives you the feeling that you’ve lost someone, that you aren’t able to find the one, ya phir koi juda hua hai par phir bhi aapke paas nahi hai. ‘Saiyaara’ ka jo title track hai woh ek adbhut sa feeling deta hai. (Or you’re connected with someone, but still you don't have them. The title track of Saiyyara gives a wonderful feeling)”

Tanishk believes that certain scenes in the film connect with people on such a deep level that it’s impossible not to feel something.

“Depending on your emotional strength, you will either burst into tears or shed a single drop, but you will get sentimental; that is a given,” he said.

The mood behind the music

While the full soundtrack has been praised, it’s the title track that’s been winning hearts. Tanishk shared what director Mohit Suri had in mind when they first discussed the track.

“Mohit sir has told me that he wants to evoke a very specific feeling through this song. It should take people back to that one moment in their lives. It should remind them of their first love, just like how when you smell a flower, it reminds you of a perfume that someone special would wear,” he recalled.

Mohit’s brief wasn’t about crafting a hit, it was about stirring something deeper. According to Tanishk, “He told me that it should evoke a kind of nostalgia.”

The composer added that you can’t fake that kind of emotion in a studio.

“It only happens if you’ve lived through a special moment. All of us have lived our pasts, which got reflected in the song, and that’s why it connected with the audience,” he explained.

Whether it’s the film’s storyline, its visuals, or the music, ‘Saiyaara’ has clearly become more than just a movie, it’s an emotional ride. And with the title track leading the way, the audience reactions (even the over-the-top ones) suddenly make perfect sense. In Tanishk’s own words: “The music in this film haunts you.”