Headlined by Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia and helmed by Panchayat director Deepak Kumar Mishra, the supernatural adventure has come under intense scrutiny after Vaish claimed that an unreleased, 25-second section of his original devotional composition—an interpretation of "Aigiri Nandini"—was lifted directly from his private master recording and inserted into the film’s newly launched official trailer without consent, license, or attribution.
The Accusation: "Three Years of Work Lifted in 25 Seconds"
Taking to Instagram on Monday morning with audio comparison proofs, Sargam Vaish outlined the exact timestamps where his work allegedly appears in the Vvan promotional cut:
“I have been working on a project for three years, and one song from that has been used in the film Vvan's trailer that was recently released, without my permission. The Vvan stars Sidharth Malhotra and Tamannaah Bhatia and is directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra, produced by Balaji Telefilms and TVF. They have used my song for 25 seconds without my permission.”
Master File Duplication: Pointing out the precise waveform match, Vaish stated: “From 1 minute 8 seconds to 1 minute 33 seconds, the song's name is Aigiri Nandini. They have used my master file, production, and vocals as is. I have signed a deal with a big label; if that is affected, they will be responsible for this. Kindly remove the song from your trailer and the movie; otherwise, my legal team will take care of it.”
How Did Unreleased Audio Leak? Ricky Kej Steps In
The dispute took an intriguing turn in the public forum when three-time Grammy-winning composer and Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) member Ricky Kej questioned how unreleased audio could find its way onto a studio trailer timeline:
Kej's Query: “How did they get access to your master recording when you had not released it yet?”
Vaish's Clarification on Industry Pipeline Leaks: Responding to Kej, Vaish explained that the master track had been submitted as a pitch/cue to another major film production and was sitting unreleased in studio circles:
“The song was already given to another big movie and was still unreleased. Somehow, it reached this movie through another circle and was used before the original project. That's exactly what I'm trying to understand as well.”
Recurring Pattern: Independent Music Rights Under the Lens
The standoff around Vvan reflects growing friction between independent creators and mainstream commercial studios:
The 'Mirzapur' Precedent: Just weeks ago, Rajasthani folk-fusion artist Rapperiya Balam issued a legal notice to Excel Entertainment over the unauthorized use of his track "Shoorveer" in the promotional campaign for Mirzapur: The Movie, seeking public apologies and institutional compensation.
Studio Inaction: At the time of reporting, representatives from Balaji Telefilms and TVF have not issued a formal clarification, even as calls mount on social media for Vaish's legal team to file a formal Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) strike to pull the trailer across digital channels.
Trade & Legal Verdict:
While background cues and devotional chants like Aigiri Nandini reside in the traditional public domain conceptually, a specific sound recording (master file), bespoke synth production, and individual vocal performance are strictly protected under the Indian Copyright Act, 1957. If Vaish’s audio stems were indeed utilized without clearance or synchronization licenses via an unvetted sound library leak, Balaji Telefilms and TVF will likely be forced to quickly settle licensing terms, provide immediate screen credit, or rush an amended audio mix to YouTube and multiplexes before legal injunctions disrupt the film's promotional momentum.
