In the ongoing debate over music royalties Tanishk BadjiAbout the title song, composer and singer of Saiyaara Amar Malik shared a cryptic social media post that many believed was a reference to a larger issue. Although he didn’t name Tanishk or the film, Amar said the industry is only now acknowledging the issues he highlighted years ago.Amal shared a selfie with a short caption, writing: “People in the music industry woke up too late. Where were you in 2015 when I was fighting the system alone :).”His remarks came as discussions surrounding royalty payments resurfaced after Tanishk Bagchi alleged that he has not received Rs 8 lakh in royalties for the title song of ‘Saiyaara’. yash raj movies It has since denied any wrongdoing and said royalties were split equally between the song’s three composers’ contracts and that all collaborators were paid as agreed.Amal has long been outspoken about the financial challenges composers and lyricists face despite the commercial success of their music. Earlier this year, in March, he spoke at length about how India’s royalty system continues to leave creators with only a fraction of the revenue generated by their work.“The royalty system has been implemented from 2020. Javed Akhtar Sahab has worked hard for it. Actors believe that if they stand in a song, then the song will become a hit. This is only 50% true. The remaining 50% credit goes to the lyricist, composer, director and finally the singer.To illustrate her point, Amal referenced the hit song “Sooraj Dooba Hai” from the 2015 film “Roy” starring Ranbir Kapoor, explaining how little the creators ultimately received compared to the long-term commercial value of the song.“As an Indian system, we are far behind the West. Because Taylor Swift With master royalties, she could buy back the album and release it her own way. Like the song Sooraj Dooba Hai, I was given Rs 8 lakh and I gave everything. I got to run my house and make this song. A maximum of Rs 10 lakh is required. The song cost Rs 80-10 lakh to produce,” he said.He further claimed that while the song continued to generate huge revenue over the years, the creators did not benefit accordingly.“My understanding is that in the last 12 years, the song has made an average of Rs 65 crore and I reviewed this song seven years ago. Now, it will make Rs 100 crore. Now, the song that was made at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore has made Rs 100 crore and what they will give us is Rs 15-20 lakh. The song that has made Rs 100 crore is Rs 15-20 lakh. That includes everything.Amal also explained how production costs significantly reduced his own income from the project. “I pay this amount to my team. After paying all the expenses, I get a salary of Rs 75,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh after completing a song,” he said.Discussions have resumed after Tanishk Bagchi claimed that the royalties of Rs 8 lakh for the title song of ‘Saiyaara’ remain unpaid. In response, Yash Raj Films maintained that all financial obligations have been met.“The title song of ‘Saiyaara’ is a perfect collaboration between the three composers (Tanishk Bagchi, Faheem Abdullah and Arslan Nizami). We are extremely grateful for their talents to create a timeless song that has touched a million hearts. The royalties of the title song have been and will continue to be shared between all three composers by YRF as per the contractual arrangements of everyone including Tanishk. YRF has paid each collaborator its due fees in accordance with the contract and within the terms and time agreed upon by both parties,” a YRF spokesperson said.
