Adnan Sami Reveals How Yash Chopra Helped Him Secure Indian Citizenship

September 27 marks the 94th birth anniversary of filmmaker Yash Chopra. In an interview with Bollywood Hungama in August 2026 surrounding the release of his song 'Ishq Tamasha', Adnan Sami shared a little-known story regarding how the legendary filmmaker helped him secure Indian citizenship.

Reflecting on Yash Chopra's support, Adnan Sami stated, “Yash ji was like a father figure to me. He was extremely loving and supportive of me. As part of the process of getting Indian citizenship, you need to have a letter of recommendation from a fellow citizen. It’s a part of the procedure. I spoke to Yash ji and he was very forthcoming. He said, ‘It would be my absolute pleasure to do that’ (smiles).”

Sami also discussed the lengthy procedure required to obtain citizenship, which took about 18 years and involved strict requirements and prior rejections due to bureaucratic procedures. Because of the long struggle and patience required, Sami displays the Preamble to the Constitution of India in his study to value every aspect of it.