Saiyaara

There was a time when a Yash Raj Film meant silk sarees fluttering against the Swiss Alps, but Saiyaara feels like it was grown in a petri dish of modern Mumbai heartbreak and curated Spotify playlists. It is the kind of movie that, on paper, shouldn’t work in 2025—a year where "Pan-India" action epics and CGI-heavy spectacles usually suck all the oxygen out of the room. Yet, here I was, watching a mid-budget musical romance that prioritizes a trembling lower lip over a high-speed chase.

I watched this during a weekend matinee while seated next to a teenager who spent the first twenty minutes trying to record a "Get Ready With Me" video in the dark, and honestly, the chaotic energy of her ring light reflecting off her popcorn actually primed me for the film’s frenetic, youthful pulse.

The Mohit Suri Blueprint

Director Mohit Suri has essentially trademarked a very specific brand of "beautiful people suffering elegantly to great music." If you’ve seen Aashiqui 2 or Malang, you know the drill: the lighting is moody, the rain is constant, and the emotional stakes are always set to "life or death." With Saiyaara, he hasn’t reinvented his wheel, but he’s certainly polished the chrome.

The story follows Krish (Ahaan Panday), a budding musician with enough angst to power a small city, and Vaani (Aneet Padda), whose world is a bit more grounded but no less complicated. The screenplay by Rohan Shankar and Sankalp Sadanah leans heavily into the "souls connecting through art" trope, which can sometimes feel a bit dusty. However, in an era where most cinematic romances happen via a dating app montage, there’s something oddly refreshing about watching two people actually talk—and sing—their way into each other's lives. The script occasionally treats a minor misunderstanding like a Shakespearean tragedy, but that’s the Suri charm. You’re either in for the melodrama, or you’re out.

Fresh Faces and Old Souls

The big talking point here is obviously Ahaan Panday. Let’s be real: the "nepo baby" discourse in 2025 is louder than ever, and the pressure on him to be an instant superstar was immense. Surprisingly, he doesn’t try to be the next Shah Rukh Khan. Instead, he leans into a certain gawky, raw vulnerability that works for a character like Krish. Ahaan Panday’s hair has more screen presence than most supporting actors in Bollywood, but beneath the styling, there’s a genuine actor trying to find his footing.

The real revelation, though, is Aneet Padda. She carries the "Drama" half of the Romance/Drama genre tag with a maturity that anchors the film’s flightier musical moments. Her chemistry with Ahaan feels earned rather than manufactured by a marketing team. I also have to shout out Alam Khan, whom I loved in Kota Factory; he brings a much-needed levity as KV, preventing the movie from sinking under the weight of its own earnestness. Rajesh Kumar and Geeta Agrawal Sharma provide the "grounded parent" energy that reminds us these characters don't just exist in a vacuum of moonlit terraces.

Crafting the Contemporary Vibe

Visually, Saiyaara is gorgeous. Cinematographer Vikas Sivaraman avoids the flat, digital look that plagues so many contemporary streaming releases. There’s a texture to the images—a grain that makes the Mumbai nights feel humid and alive. And since this is a musical, we have to talk about the sound. John Stewart Eduri handles the score, and while it might not reach the legendary status of early 2010s romantic soundtracks, it fits the 2025 landscape perfectly: lo-fi beats meeting sweeping orchestral swells.

One thing that struck me was how the film handled its "Contemporary" identity. It doesn't shy away from how social media and "viral" culture impact artistic souls, but it doesn't make it the whole personality of the movie. It’s a film made for the TikTok generation that still respects the three-act structure of a 90s weepie.

Apparently, the production was one of the first YRF projects to fully integrate "Virtual Production" for some of its more difficult outdoor musical sequences, allowing the crew to bypass the nightmare of Mumbai traffic. You can’t really tell, which is the highest compliment you can pay to the tech. Also, it’s worth noting that while the $5.5 million budget is modest by modern standards, the $63 million box office return proves that audiences are starving for stories that feel human-sized.

Saiyaara is a reminder that even in an age of franchises and multiverses, a well-told story about two people falling in love can still be a blockbuster. It’s unashamedly sentimental, occasionally over-the-top, and features a soundtrack that I’ve already added to my "Rainy Day" playlist. If you’re looking for a film that values a quiet gaze as much as a loud chorus, this is your weekend watch. It won't change the course of cinema history, but it might just make you remember why you liked going to the movies in the first place.