By
Sharada Iyer
With minimal publicity and literally no promotions, Saiyaara, starring two newcomers Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda has whipped up a kind of frenzy among cine-goers not seen in a long time and is scripting new records at the box-office with its mind-boggling collections from the very first show.
Yash Raj Films and director Mohit Suri seem to have understood the pulse of the nation and whipped up a musical love-story laced with powerful emotions of love and understanding with heart-touching performances from the debut actors supported by an excellent soundtrack. The movie connects at various levels and the USP is its simple storytelling with no over-the top drama or any expensive locales and does not boast of any well-known supporting cast either.
The film tells the simple story of a budding musician Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Pandey) and a writer Vani Batra (Aneet Padda), their background, how they meet and fall in love and how their relationship progresses. There are no songs shot on exotic spots, no item songs, and no unnecessary intrusions of any sort. The screenplay does not have the typical opposing parents who stand in the way of the lovers with their bloated ego or put irritating societal pressures to prove their point. It is just about the two protagonists and their journey.
Then one may ask so what is there in the script? Well! There is a twist which is introduced before the interval which poses some challenges for the pair. All credit to the director for maintaining the smooth flow of the story and the way the screenplay unfolds it has a freshness to it which keeps the viewer engaged from the beginning. The chemistry between the newcomers is brilliant and that is what makes the story so touching and believable. For their debut film, both the actors especially Ahaan Pandey, have got the opportunity to display a range of emotions and they have done a commendable job to make their characters come alive on screen.
As the story revolves around the musician and the writer, songs become a vey important and integral part of the film and the director hits a sixer on that front with an amalgamation of melodious songs which blend in perfectly with the storyline and the lyrics convey the apt emotions of the characters at that point of time in the story. No song seems to have been forcibly added to just get views on YouTube. Interestingly there are many composers and lyricists who have come together for creating a memorable album which is already a craze with every song being a chartbuster.
The fact that team YRF decided not to allow the stars to give any interviews before the film or make them take the usual route of becoming part of all kinds of promotional strategies worked in the film’s favour. There was an air of mystery around the story, the actors, and their on-screen persona and that brought in the crowds. Later word of mouth helped getting the audience to flock to the cinema halls to check out this love story.
A whopping worldwide collection of rupees 400 crores and still going strong is indeed an incredible feat by any means and more so coming from newcomers. At a time when none of the so-called stars of our industry can give any hits with most of the box-office collections bordering between poor to pathetic, this film seems to have touched a chord in every viewer’s heart and they seem to be enjoying being part of the emotional roller-coaster ride of the protagonists.
Maybe a romantic story with a new lead-pair was the need of the hour and the film released at the right time and connected with the heartbeat of a whole nation. Much on the lines of successful films like Bobby, Love Story, Ek Duje Ke Liye, Maine Pyar Kiya, Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, here is another film with debut stars which has stirred up the industry from its slumber. Saiyaara may not be a classic, yet there is a raw and endearing quality about the film which is thoroughly enjoyable. If you are looking for a change, this film with its tender touch will not disappoint!
I end the blog with the audio tracks of both the male and female versions of the title song “Saiyaara…”
Singer: Faheem Abdullah
Singer: Shreya Ghoshal
[Note: Images taken from internet]
https://myviewsonbollywood.wordpress.com/2025/08/01/saiyaara-takes-the-country-by-storm/