Ever since Yash Raj Films' Saiyaara, released on screens globally, cinephiles have been dissecting every frame looking for clues about the story behind Ahaan Panday’s big-screen debut.
The romantic drama, which marks the debut of both Ahaan and Aneet Padda, is garnering a lot of love from the fans.
Now there is buzz on social media that Saiyaara is an unofficial remake or at least a close cousin of John H. Lee’s 2004 Korean classic A Moment to Remember?
The speculation started when fans spotted a striking similarity between the poster of Saiyaraa and one of the Korean film’s most recognisable shots: the male protagonist giving his partner a piggy-back ride.
A Moment To Remember was directed by John H. Lee and starred Son Ye-jin and Jung Woo-sung.
While a single pose is hardly proof of a remake, it was enough to send eagle-eyed netizens down a rabbit hole of comparisons.
Threads on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit have since lined up side-by-side images and suggested that Saiyaara explores the same heartbreaking territory of love tested by memory loss.
Also Read: Saiyaara Movie Review: Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda shine in a tender tale of love
"Major plot points are literally the same, like Alzheimer's, confusion with ex, girl running away. Also, the ending where he recreates the past moment is the same...," wrote a user.
"#SAIYAARA Korean movie A Moment To Remember is Musterpiece
Please Original ko bhi thoda credit do Original movie Alag level ki hai," wrote another user.
One more user who goes by the handle Kashi express wrote: "#Saiyaara
Mitronn , Copywood is back again with a Korean remake — paid posts and corporate bookings will make the numbers show. But the trauma I went through while watching that torture till the first half... it'll take time to recover from that."
For the uninitiated, A Moment to Remember follows a young couple whose lives are upended after the woman is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Its delicate blend of romance and tragedy made it a cornerstone of South Korean melodrama, and a daunting template for any filmmaker hoping to replicate its emotional punch.
Neither Yash Raj Films nor the creative team has issued an official statement confirming or denying the adaptation talk.
Insiders merely hint that the project is 'inspired by a powerful love story' without naming the reference.
Meanwhile, Ahaan Panday’s arrival is noteworthy in its own right. As a member of the next-gen Bollywood brigade and cousin to actress Ananya Panday, he carries both industry pedigree and sky-high expectations.
His chemistry with the relatively unknown Aneet Padda is being loved and the film has already garnered Rs 83 crore at the box office. It released on Friday (July 18) and has a super opening with Rs 21 crore on Day 1, Rs 25 crore on Saturday and then Rs 37 crore on Sunday. First Monday's figures are still awaited.
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