Anurag Basu dismisses claims Aashiqui 3 starring Kartik Aaryan-Sreeleela being rescripted after Saiyaara’s success: ‘The only similarity in our films is…’

Ever since Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda's Saiyaara became a hit, speculations have been rife that director Anurag Basu was reworking the Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela-starrer's script to eliminate similarities.

By: Entertainment Desk

Kochi | July 29, 2025 01:35 PM IST

Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela in the untitled Anurag Basu film; (right) Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in Saiyaara. (Credit: IMDb)

Whenever a Bollywood movie becomes a success, it often instils a sense of dread among audiences, fearing it may trigger an unending trend of films that blindly replicate the original’s story and style. This concern is not unsound, and the industry has witnessed it many times with filmmakers and production houses rushing to ride the gravy train by rehashing someone else’s original work, thus reaping the rewards without sowing the seeds. With renowned director Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara becoming a massive hit, all are now waiting to see how many “new” musical romantic dramas will follow suit.

Meanwhile, the project that has found itself in the spotlight is director Anurag Basu’s Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela-starrer, which is already under production as the third instalment in the Aashiqui franchise. Much like Saiyaara and even Mohit’s Aashiqui 2 (2013), the male lead in the Kartik Aaryan film is also a rockstar musician, inevitably inviting comparisons among all the projects. Ever since the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda-starrer became a hit, speculations have been rife that Anurag and team were busy reworking their script to eliminate similarities.

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However, the Metro… In Dino director has categorically denied the rumours, maintaining that the resemblances between the two projects were minimal. “Mohit and I are very close. I’m happy for his film’s success. The only similarity in our films is that the male lead is a rockstar, and the story is about his journey,” he told Mid-day. Saiyaara revolves around a young couple whose lives take a turn when the woman is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Asserting that he knew the Mohit Suri film’s storyline as the latter had narrated it to him, Anurag emphasised that they share a warm camaraderie. He added, “In my film, the girl doesn’t have dementia or any [other condition]. We are not rewriting or re-shooting. I knew beforehand that the girl had Alzheimer’s disease in Saiyaara. So, why would I write the same [plot point] in mine?”

Watch Saiyaara trailer here:

Although Mohit originally pitched Saiyaara’s story to be developed as Aashiqui 3, it eventually didn’t go through. Thus, he went ahead and kickstarted it as a fresh project, while Aashiqui 2 producers Bhushan Kumar (T-Series) and Mukesh Bhatt (Vishesh Films) roped in Anurag Basu and Kartik Aaryan to float the third instalment in their musical romantic drama franchise. However, after the Bhushan-Mukesh split, a legal dispute arose over the use of Aashiqui in the film’s title. After it took a legal route, the Delhi High Court ruled in Mukesh’s favour, preventing the makers from naming the film Aashiqui 3.

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