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‘I was not able to work at all’: Tanishk Bagchi recalls two-year battle with depression at Chetak Screen Awards 2026
Tanishk Bagchi got emotional at Chetak Screen Awards 2026 as Saiyaara won Best Song, opening up about his two-year battle with depression and crediting Mohit Suri for helping him find his way back.
Tanishk Bagchi at Chetak Screen Awards 2026
Music composer Tanishk Bagchi opened up about a difficult personal phase while accepting the Best Song award for the Saiyaara title track at Chetak Screen Awards 2026. Tanishk credited director Mohit Suri for helping him rediscover his purpose during a period of depression. The Saiyaara title track, already one of the most defining tracks of 2025, won the Best Song honour, with Tanishk Bagchi, Faheem Abdullah and Arslan Nizami taking home the award.
While accepting the award, Tanishk said, “Really nervous today. The only person I want to thank is Mohit Suri sir. I was going through depression for two years. It happens, I’m a musician, so I’m a bit emotional. I kept stumbling and struggling along the way. I was not able to work at all.”
Recalling a turning point, he shared how he reached out to Mohit Suri during that phase. “So, I called up Mohit sir in the middle of the night and told him sir if you have a story where you want to end it in a happy note for true lovers. If you love somebody so deeply and you lose that person then you lose hope.”
Tanishk Bagchi then spoke about the advice that helped him regain focus. “Mohit sir came to me and he told me, ‘Tanishq you are meant to do music and so your first and last love should be music.’ I followed it and we created Saiyaara. So thank you sir for this.”
He also acknowledged his collaborators, saying, “I thank my co-composer Faheem Abdullah who is not here, he is sick and Arslan. Without them I think it was not possible for me.”
The trio took home the Best Song honour, beating strong contenders in a competitive category. The nominees included the title track of Dhurandhar, directed by Aditya Dhar, and “Gehra Hua,” both composed by Shashwat Sachdev. Also in the race were Saiyaara tracks “Barbaad,” composed by The Rish, and “Humsafar,” composed by Sachet-Parampara.
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Major winners at Chetak Screen Awards 2026
The Chetak Screen Awards 2026, hosted by Alia Bhatt, Farah Khan, Sunil Grover, Zakir Khan and Saurabh Dwivedi, marked a return after a seven-year hiatus. Instituted by The Indian Express Group in 1995, the event was streamed live on SonyLIV, Sony Entertainment Television and YouTube, drawing a star-studded turnout including Vicky Kaushal, Karan Johar and Bobby Deol.
Among the major winners, Dhurandhar dominated the night with 14 awards, including Best Actor (Male) for Ranveer Singh, Best Director for Aditya Dhar and Best Supporting Actor (Male) for Akshaye Khanna. Haq, directed by Suparn Verma, won Best Actor (Female) for Yami Gautam Dhar and Best Film for Gender Sensitivity, while Homebound by Neeraj Ghaywan won Best Film.
About Chetak Screen Awards 2026
Instituted by The Indian Express Group, the Chetak Screen Awards are regarded among India’s most credible film honours, built on merit, integrity and peer recognition. Winners are chosen by the independent Screen Academy, a not-for-profit body comprising 53 leading filmmakers, artistes and cultural voices.
Following an initial shortlist, Academy members evaluate entries through a structured voting process. The framework, designed by Priya Jaikumar of the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, ensures a balanced assessment of creativity, technical excellence, audience connect and innovation, with performance categories judged for authenticity.
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The Screen Academy includes a distinguished panel featuring Shoojit Sircar, Deepa Mehta, Sriram Raghavan, Ram Madhvani, Guneet Monga Kapoor, John Abraham, Kabir Khan, Karan Johar, Mukesh Chhabra, Payal Kapadia, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Rajkumar Hirani, Resul Pookutty, Rima Das and Vidya Balan, among others — representing a diverse and influential cross-section of the film industry.
Watch Chetak Screen Awards 2026 on YouTube
This article touches on personal experiences with emotional distress and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed or going through a difficult time, please remember that professional support and guidance are available to help you navigate these challenges.
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