Sitaare Zameen Par brought back urban films; now can YRF's Saiyaara revive romance at box office? Trade experts weigh in

Mohit Suri's Saiyaara is a musical love story with two newcomers - Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda - in the lead roles.

For half a decade now, since the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way we view cinema, we have been hearing about how 'small' films will no longer work at the box office. 12th Fail proved that wrong. More recently, the success of Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par was heralded as a revival of urban multiplex films in theatres. The next test is romance. Very few romantic dramas have succeeded at the box office in the last few years. In the coming weeks, two films will test that. And while Metro In Dino may be getting more buzz, it's Yash Raj Films' Saiyaara that will be the true litmus test of the audiences.

Saiyaara, directed by Mohit Suri, stars newcomers Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda.

What experts say about Saiyaara

Mohit Suri-directorial Saiyaara is releasing next month in theatres. The film is a musical romantic drama, led by a fresh lead pair - Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. While the film is trying to find its foothold amid bigger releases, its music has been generating some buzz, owing to the four songs that are out now. Trade analyst Komal Nahta shares, “The teaser-trailer more than lived up to the expectations because the chemistry between the two newcomers seemed to be electrifying. Both Ahaan and Aneet look wonderful. As song after song from the film was released, it was clear that the music of Saiyaara could well be one of its biggest plus points. Each song is a musical hit, and the song picturisations seem to be so contemporary.”

Saiyaara will release in mid-July, two weeks after Anurag Basu's Metro In Dino tests the waters for the romance genre. Talking about the buzz for romance, an exhibitor adds, “Metro In Dino has a lot going for it, as it has bigger names in the cast, and the legacy of Anurag Basu's Life in a Metro. But to see Saiyaara have that buzz is promising. It is perhaps because of the goodwill of YRF, or just that the new lead pair here looks very fresh. But, it remains to be seen how that buzz translates into audience feedback.”

Komal Nahta adds that he is not surprised by the buzz for Saiyaara, particularly its music. “Frankly, the hit music doesn’t come as a surprise because Saiyaara has been directed by Mohit Suri. Music has always been Mohit’s strong point, whether it was in Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain, or Half Girlfriend. These days, one has seen the quality of Hindi film songs deteriorating, and so the hit music of Saiyaara comes as a breath of fresh air.”

About Saiyaara

So far, four songs from Tanishk Bagchi's album, Saiyaara, Jubin Nautiyal’s Barbaad, Vishal Mishra’s Tum Ho Toh, and Sachet-Parampara’s Humsafar, have released, and have over 60 million views combined on YouTube alone. They have sparked many Instagram Reels, too. Saiyaara, produced by YRF’s CEO Akshaye Widhani, is set to release on 18 July in theatres.