Mohit Suri Revives Bollywood with His Film Saiyaara

BY SHANTISWAROOP TRIPATHI

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Bollywood has been in a dire state. Films have been flopping at the box office one after another. Even the few films that did manage to perform decently faced allegations of inflated collections and block bookings. As a result, not only theater owners but the entire film industry were in distress.

2025 Box Office Crash: Big Films, Empty Theatres

As 2025 began, there was renewed hope. Big-budget films like Azaad (starring Ajay Devgn and his nephew), Salman Khan’s Sikandar, Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force, Kesari Chapter 2, and Housefull 5 were all set to release. However, despite these releases, the first half of 2025 remained dry at the box office. Theaters remained empty. Industry insiders began blaming the audience for not wanting to come to cinemas anymore, instead of introspecting. Director Mudassar Ajit even claimed that audiences weren't intellectually capable of understanding his film.

In the midst of this gloom, on July 18, came a surprising hit — Saiyaara, a romantic comedy directed by Mohit Suri, known for films like Aashiqui 2 and Ek Villain. The film starred two newcomers: Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, and was released under the Yash Raj Films banner. With almost no initial promotion, the film’s PR campaign exploded just after advance bookings opened. This aggressive publicity drew criticism from several people, including Kaante producer-director Sanjay Gupta, who slammed the marketing tactics.

On opening day, Saiyaara grossed over ₹22 crore. Rumors spread that Ahaan Panday’s father, Chikki Panday, had bought large quantities of tickets himself. But when the film earned even more on day two and ₹37 crore on Sunday, critics remained skeptical. By the fourth day, as collections surpassed the opening, the narrative began to shift. According to Wikipedia, the film earned ₹250 crore in its first week, while Sacnilk reported ₹173 crore. Either way, the film was declared a blockbuster, having been made on a modest budget of ₹60 crore. Theater owners were thrilled, and many began saying that Mohit Suri had given Bollywood a new lease of life — and that too with two debutantes!

While big names like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Ajay Devgn faltered this year, Mohit Suri succeeded in extracting phenomenal performances from Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. Ahaan is completely immersed in his role as a musician named Krish, while Aneet truly embodies the role of a poet named Vani.

Surprisingly, it’s teenage girls (15–20 years old) who are the majority audience for Saiyaara. Whatever critics may say, the truth is Saiyaara has won the hearts of Gen Z.

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With Saiyaara, Mohit Suri has proven that the audience does want to watch films in theaters — provided the films are in tune with their tastes. Instead of imposing personal ideologies under the guise of creative expression, filmmakers need to understand their viewers. Saiyaara has all the classic Suri elements — romance, pain, and soulful music.

The film is based on the 2004 Korean movie A Moment to Remember, centering around Krish Kapoor (Ahaan), a troubled musician who forms a deep bond with shy poet Vani Batra (Aneet). While Suri has undeniably drawn from the original, he has also intelligently adapted the concept to suit Gen Z — their habits, rebellion, mobile-first lives, and open expression of love and sexuality.

Many critics disliked this modern take, but their numbers pale in comparison to the young fans who’ve embraced it. Mohit Suri thought from the perspective of today’s youth — something most directors shy away from. Instead, they often impose their outdated ideas on the audience, ruining cinema.

While A Moment to Remember was about a married couple, Suri’s version revolves around young lovers. Casting newcomers worked well as audiences had no pre-existing perceptions, making it easy to accept them in these roles. Suri localized the story with an Indian cultural and social context. Online, Saiyaara is being hailed as an emotional love story, with many calling it the next Aashiqui 2.

Interestingly, Suri initially envisioned this project as Aashiqui 3 and pitched it to Bhushan Kumar of T-Series, who rejected it. Netflix also showed no interest. Eventually, Suri reshaped it as a standalone film, staying true to the Aashiqui emotional core. He then approached Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films, who loved the film. With Aditya Chopra’s approval, it was officially produced under the YRF banner — but Akshaye Widhani is credited as the producer, not Chopra.

Reports say that Ahaan’s father Chikki Panday fully funded the film to launch his son. After completion, Suri sought YRF’s help for distribution, which eventually turned the film into a major YRF release. Now, Ahaan and Aneet’s pairing is being hailed as a sensation, with Saiyaara outperforming Akshay Kumar’s Kesari Chapter 2 and Ajay Devgn’s Raid 2 on opening day.

Who is Chikki Panday?

Ahaan Panday’s father, Alok Sharad Panday (aka Chikki Panday), is the brother of actor Chunky Panday and uncle to actress Ananya Panday. Chikki is a prominent businessman and owns both event and production companies. His father, Dr. Sharad Panday, was a renowned cardiologist and part of India’s first heart transplant team, while his mother Snehlata was a famous gynecologist who treated Rekha. Chikki is said to have mediated peace between Shah Rukh and Salman Khan. In fact, Salman posted an Instagram video supporting Saiyaara before its release. Ahaan’s sister Alanna’s wedding also took place at Sohail Khan’s farmhouse. Chikki is highly influential in both Bollywood and business circles and is active in social and government sectors. He is associated with the Akshara Foundation and serves on several government committees.

Criticism and Praise

While some praised Saiyaara, others criticized it. We personally weren’t fond of how Alzheimer’s was handled, though we did appreciate the performances by Ahaan and Aneet. Yet, Gen Z seemed to ignore such flaws, fully immersing themselves in Krish and Vani’s love story. Suri’s incorporation of mobile culture, social media obsessions, and emotional vulnerabilities struck a chord with younger audiences.

The film’s PR team was also hyperactive — encouraging fans to cry in theaters and share reels, creating viral trends that Gen Z eagerly joined. This audience didn’t just consume the film — they promoted it as well. As a result, Saiyaara is now the fifth highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025.

Story

Krish Kapoor is a volatile musician struggling with addiction and emotional trauma while trying to make his mark in the music industry. His life takes a turn when he meets the introverted Vani Batra, who works at a publishing house. Discovering her deeply personal poetry, Krish finds both artistic inspiration and emotional connection.

As they collaborate musically, Vani — who is also battling her own emotional challenges — begins to regain confidence. Their partnership fosters mutual healing. However, the story takes a poignant twist when Vani is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and starts forgetting even Krish.

Initially, she hides her condition, which gets more complicated with the return of her ex, Mahesh. In a heart-wrenching moment, Vani mistakenly calls Krish “Mahesh,” devastating him. Still, he remains by her side, sharing a story that inspires her to write the song Saiyaara, believing it will help his friend’s girlfriend return to him.

When Vani disappears, Krish rides on the success of Saiyaara to search for her. He finally finds her in an ashram in Himachal Pradesh, where she no longer remembers him. Through memories and love, he helps her reconnect with her past. She eventually recognizes him, and the film concludes with them celebrating love on stage at Wembley and getting married.

Who is Mohit Suri?

Born April 11, 1981, in Mumbai, Mohit Suri is best known for directing Murder 2 (2011), Aashiqui 2 (2013), Awarapan (2007), Ek Villain (2014), and Malang (2020). His father worked for Dunlop in Chennai, and his mother was an air hostess. He is the brother of actress Smiley Suri and nephew of Mahesh, Mukesh, and Robin Bhatt. He is also cousin to Pooja, Alia, Rahul, and Vishesh Bhatt, as well as Emraan Hashmi.

Suri began as an office assistant at T-Series and as assistant director on films like Kasoor (2001) and Footpath (2003). His directorial debut Zeher (2005) had moderate success, but he gained acclaim with Murder 2. Aashiqui 2 and Ek Villain cemented his reputation, the latter entering the ₹100 crore club. After Hamari Adhuri Kahani (2015) and Half Girlfriend (2017), Malang (2020) was both a critical and commercial success. He later directed Ek Villain Returns (2022). Beyond directing, he co-founded EMI Records India and judged Nach Baliye 8.

Now, with Saiyara, his most successful film yet, he has brought joy back to Bollywood. Some are comparing it to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. PVR even claims Saiyaara could gross ₹1,000 crore.

The success of Saiyaara is driven by its deep connection with Gen Z — a generation hungry for love, heartbreak, and healing. Young audiences, especially girls aged 15–20, are relating to Vani Batra. After countless breakups and flings, they now crave a love that feels pure. Krish and Vani’s story offers just that.

Both characters are relatable — middle-class, working professionals, ambitious yet vulnerable. And with unforgettable songs, Saiyara resonates deeply. The credit goes to Mohit Suri. But now the pressure is on Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda to prove themselves in their next outing.

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