Déjà Vu or Deception? Mohit Suri Faces Heat as Netizens Slam Saiyaara as a “Rip-Off” of Korean Classic A Moment to Remember
Bollywood director Mohit Suri, long known for his emotionally intense storytelling and music-driven films, is under fire once again — and this time, the accusation isn’t new. Social media is ablaze with claims that his upcoming film Saiyaara bears striking — almost frame-to-frame — resemblance to the beloved South Korean romantic tragedy, A Moment to Remember.
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The internet isn't mincing words. Fans and film critics alike are calling Saiyaara a “shameless rip-off”, reigniting an age-old debate about Bollywood’s love affair with Korean cinema — and Suri’s alleged pattern of borrowing from it.
The Allegation: Too Familiar, Too Fast
The controversy erupted after the trailer for Saiyaara dropped online. With its melancholic visuals, memory loss storyline, and slow-burning romance, many K-drama fans immediately pointed out its eerie similarity to the 2004 Korean film A Moment to Remember, directed by John H. Lee.
In the Korean original, a young woman battles early-onset Alzheimer’s, and the story revolves around the emotional toll it takes on her new marriage. Saiyaara, based on the trailer and leaked plot details, appears to follow a near-identical arc — from the initial meet-cute to the painful descent into forgetfulness.
Fans online questioned: "Is this homage, or is this just theft with better lighting?"
Mohit Suri’s History of "Inspiration"
This isn’t Mohit Suri’s first brush with plagiarism accusations. In the past, several of his films, including Murder 2 (heavily inspired by the Korean film The Chaser) and Zehar (based on Out of Time), have been criticized for lifting plots without proper credit.
While Suri has often dismissed these claims as "creative adaptation" or "inspiration," audiences today — especially Gen Z and millennials who binge both Bollywood and K-dramas — aren’t buying it.
“It’s 2025, not 2005. You can’t just change names and shoot it in Udaipur and think we won’t notice,” one Reddit user wrote.
The Industry Reacts: Silence or Strategy?
Interestingly, while the internet explodes, Bollywood insiders are largely silent. No official statement has been released by Suri or the production house behind Saiyaara. Some speculate this might be a calculated silence, waiting for the storm to pass — or to use the controversy as free PR.
Still, with fan-made comparison videos of Saiyaara and A Moment to Remember going viral, the pressure is mounting.
The Bigger Picture: Bollywood & K-Cinema Collide
The growing popularity of Korean films and dramas in India has raised the bar for originality and global awareness. Audiences today don’t just watch Indian cinema — they live on Netflix, Viki, and YouTube, fully aware of global storytelling standards.
Which means, if Bollywood rehashes a plot without giving due credit, it won’t go unnoticed — or unpunished.
Final Scene: Inspiration or Imitation?
If Saiyaara truly mirrors A Moment to Remember without acknowledgment, Mohit Suri might not just be facing backlash — he might be facing a credibility crisis.
Audiences are no longer passive. They’re informed, vocal, and fiercely protective of the stories that move them. And in the age of global cinema, copy-paste creativity simply doesn’t cut it.
Because remembering a beautiful story is one thing — claiming it as your own is another.
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