The Saiyaara Effect: Can Bollywood learn from the unprecedented success of Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda film?

Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda's Saiyaara is rewriting the rules of the box office, and it's time for Bollywood to sit back and take some notes.

Mohit Suri's Saiyaara has become a rage at the box office. The musical romance, which was released on July 18, has already broken records, becoming the biggest box-office debut for a film headlined by newcomers. It is an astonishing feat, truly unprecedented in a year when Bollywood seems to have lost its way in the middle of big-budget tentpole movies headlined by big stars. Saiyaara has none of that- it is a traditional romantic film led by fresh faces, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. So the success of the film is a clutter-breaker, and certainly a wake-up call for the industry to sit back carefully and take a closer look.

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

What makes Saiyaara stand out?

So what makes this Yash Raj Films production stand out? Let's take a deep dive. Saiyaara is a film that understands its genre and its predicaments unapologetically. It is a tried-and-tested trope for the director, as Mohit Suri has leveraged the same elements of heartbreak and music that made his 2013 release Aashiqui 2 such a favourite among the audience. Saiyaara will certainly remind viewers of that film, but it is also very much its own being. The film feels fresh and unassuming. A story of first love and the intensity of a heartbreak that follows, Saiyaara connects because it presents its characters with raw and heartfelt emotion.

Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday) and Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda) meet in an unusual circumstance, and there's an instant spark through music, which then grows further into a heartbreaking revelation. The actors carry the film with tremendous screen presence and charm, which is why the audience (and specifically the young audience) has been able to connect with them so easily. It has been a while since Bollywood has delivered a film that presents romance and drama with such conviction. There are no unnecessary songs and misplaced comedy that the film tries to capitalise on. The two leads stay front and centre. Their story is the focus. Suri zooms in only on their blossoming romance and connects the dots with their love story.

Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda share an easy and organic chemistry in Saiyaara.

When was the last time Bollywood produced a youth-centric romance with a fresh pair of actors? Examples of films like Sanam Teri Kasam and Laila Majnu are crucial here because, at the time of release, these two films did not work. But look at the numbers when the films were re-released after a couple of years. It shows that the audience remembers and makes it a point to give this genre a chance. And when it's done right, the film receives its flowers. Here also comes the importance of the correct marketing of a film like Saiyaara.

Promotion done right

The promotional strategies for Saiyaara also played a crucial role in the film's record-breaking success. The lead pair, Ahaan and Aneet, did not appear in a single interview ahead of the film's release. There were no reels of them dancing to the film's songs, no comments on nepotism, no secrets shared on who was the biggest prankster on set and so on. No paparazzi videos of them either, which is a rarity in today's social media where actors are busy talking about the film as well as things other than the film, on various platforms. What do they think of nepotism? What do they think of each other? None of these questions was given a chance to be asked. Only director Mohit Suri appeared for a handful of interviews, where he strictly kept the focus on the film and the film's premise.

It meant that the majority of what the audience learnt about Saiyaara from social media was through the songs and the trailer. From the achingly beautiful title track sung by Faheem Abdullah to a staple Arijit Singh song, Dhun, the music of Saiyaara was its biggest and most invaluable weapon. The trailer also revealed just enough, promising a film about the intensity of first love. This is a welcome break from the endless cycle of promotional activities and talking points that arrive before a film's release, creating a sense of overexposure of the actors on social media.

A few days ago, filmmaker Hansal Mehta raised questions on his X account about the extensive promotions for films and series, and whether they are working, except for creating a PR-modulated illusion. "Shouldn’t a good trailer stir curiosity? Shouldn’t compelling promo units and—most importantly—a good film or series be enough?” he noted. Sanjay Gupta also addressed the scenario and added, “The South never followed the dumb P&A practice. They did just fine. More than fine. And then come films like 12th Fail and Saiyaara straight to the theatres. Smash hits with no PR nonsense. Can we please learn our lesson?”

The makers' decision to release Saiyaara with fewer promotions was smart. They learned from the way in which a film creates organic hype only based on the material available, like the trailer and the songs. The audience saw the film based on those materials and responded favourably. This, in turn, created a chain reaction on social media about the film's strong emotional pull, which happened only after its release.

Can the industry take notes?

Let's pause to take a look at Bollywood. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva, Jawan, Pathaan, Animal, Stree 2, Shaitaan, and Munjya are some of the Bollywood films that have worked at the box office in the last few years. Take a second look at these names, and they all fit into categories of either big-budget, star-driven productions or part of a tried-and-tested franchise. None of these films fit into the bracket of an out-and-out romance.

That Saiyaara has worked so tremendously well reveals a shocking vacuum in this genre for the current generation, which shows that the audience is willing to return to theatres if a romantic film is done well. There is no other pull than a solid story. Saiyaara sticks to its romance and delivers what it promises- which is why it has connected so well with the audience nationwide. It has no franchise power and no big mainstream stars to promise the entertainment. Saiyaara stands on its own path.

No bloodshed or violence

This is a film that also knows its audience. Saiyaara is boosted by the presence of fresh faces and does not include any unnecessary scenes of bloodshed and violence. Both these actors share an easy, effortless chemistry that is refreshing to see than the usual romances on screen where the actors share a jarring age gap.

Ahaan Panday's Krish Kapoor starts off as bratty and hot-headed, but thankfully, Suri and writer Sankalp Sadanah infuse him with adequate vulnerability and yearning. The film offers a protagonist who never asserts himself forcefully and admits that he does need help. In an industry obsessed with presenting a macho, bulked-up masculinity on screen, where the hero manhandles, abuses, and threatens, Saiyaara stands out like a refreshing change.

The success of Saiyaara is a much-needed wake-up call for the Hindi film industry to take chances on stories and focus on writing rather than on the surrounding noise of what is working at the box office and what is not. A young love story with great music is not new, but if done well, it is more than enough to rejuvenate an industry that sticks to star power and numbers. The idea is not to repeat the same story again and again, but to take chances. Saiyaara is a great example of letting the movie speak for itself. I hope the industry is listening.