Tanishk Bagchi Opens Up About Depression During ‘Saiyaara’ Composition, Calls the Song His Emotional Healer.
Popular music composer Tanishk Bagchi recently offered a deeply personal glimpse into his mental health journey, revealing that he was battling severe depression during the creation of the title track for Saiyaara. Despite the song’s enormous success — which features rising actors Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda — Bagchi admitted that he was emotionally struggling during the process and was relying on daily medication to cope.
In a heartfelt conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Bagchi shared that while the world saw his rising fame and career success, he internally faced a profound sense of emptiness and emotional exhaustion. "I was in depression while making Saiyaara. I was on medication every single day and had trouble sleeping. Even with success all around me — a home, a solid career — there was still a void I couldn’t explain,” he confessed.
Bagchi’s vulnerability didn’t end with his own story. He also highlighted that the emotional intensity of Saiyaara stemmed from the collective struggles of everyone involved in the project. His collaborators, including Arslan Nizami and Faheem Abdullah, were dealing with personal challenges of their own. “Arslan was coping with family issues, Faheem had to juggle exams, and Mohit Suri sir would also share what was weighing on him. All of us were carrying emotional baggage. That collective heaviness seeped into the music,” he said. “Everyone brought their pain into this song, and I believe that’s why it touches people so deeply.”
The composer described how the creative process behind Saiyaara unexpectedly became a form of therapy for him. “We never aimed to create a chartbuster. We just wanted to make something real, something raw and honest. No overproduction. No unnecessary drama. Once it was finished, I kept listening to it on repeat. For the first time in my life, one of my own songs began to heal me. That’s when I realised — if it could heal me, it could heal others too.”
Bagchi also addressed the plagiarism allegations that have often haunted him throughout his career. In a previous interview with India Today, he dismissed the claims regarding Saiyaara and spoke candidly about the criticism. “People will always find something to say. They look for reasons to pull me down because they have nothing better to do,” he stated. Emphasizing the authenticity of the song, Bagchi said proudly, “It’s an original Hindi composition. There’s no collaboration with any international artists; every musician, every vocalist, is homegrown. That, to me, is a major achievement.”
The emotional weight and sincerity behind Saiyaara appear to have resonated widely with audiences. The title track soared to the top of streaming charts, reaching the No. 1 position on Spotify India’s Top 50 and climbing to No. 4 globally, proving that authenticity still finds its way to the hearts of listeners.
Directed by Mohit Suri, the film Saiyaara hit theatres on July 18 and continues to strike an emotional chord with the audience — thanks, in no small part, to its soul-stirring music created under the shadow of pain and ultimately transformed into a beacon of healing.
