While Saiyaara has received praise for its soulful music and lead performances, many viewers have taken to social media to point out that the Mohit Suri-directorial, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, closely mirrors the plot of the 2004 South Korean film A Moment To Remember, directed by John H Lee and starring Son Ye-jin and Jung Woo-sung

Filmmaker Mohit Suri's latest romantic drama Saiyaara, starring newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, may have had a strong start at the box office, earning Rs 21 crore on opening day and touching Rs 45 crore in just two days. But the film is now facing criticism online over alleged similarities with a popular Korean film.

While the movie has received praise for its soulful music and lead performances, many viewers have taken to social media to point out that Saiyaara closely mirrors the plot of the 2004 South Korean film A Moment To Remember, directed by John H Lee and starring Son Ye-jin and Jung Woo-sung.

Saiyaara plot

Saiyaara follows the love story of Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday), a short-tempered musician, and Vaani (Aneet Padda), an aspiring journalist. The narrative takes a heart-wrenching turn when Vaani is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, forcing the couple to face a painful emotional journey together.

Fans of Korean cinema quickly spotted the similarities. A Moment To Remember also revolves around a woman diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and her partner’s support as she loses her memory.

Netizens react to similarities

Soon after the film released, a user wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), "So #SAIYAARA is a copy of this KOREAN FILM! (Read the synopsis) Mohit Suri has barely made any original film."

"Adapted from a Korean Movie "A Moment to Remember". Story more or less similar to Aashiqui 2 . Goes around Music, Love , Memory Loss, Emotions," wrote another user.

"#SAIYAARA... Korean movie A Moment To Remember is Musterpiece ❤️😭Please Original ko bhi thoda credit do 😡 Original movie Alag level ki hai," another user posted.

Here's how others reacted:

However, not everyone is critical. Some viewers defended Saiyaara, stating that while the premise may be familiar, the treatment and cultural context are different.

"Barring Alzheimer's which we've seen in many other movies, and some similarities here & there, Saiyaara is NOT a remake or copy. As a huge fan of the original Korean movie, I'm saying this. You're free to argue! Just to add: A Moment to Remember was actually based on a Japanese TV show," wrote a fan on X.

As of now, the makers of Saiyaara have not issued any statement confirming or denying whether the film is an official remake or merely inspired by A Moment to Remember.