The most recent movie produced by Yash Raj Films and Mohit Suri, Saiyaara, has broken records in the Indian market. The picture made a net of ₹21.25 crore on its debut day, making it the best opening for a film with fresh faces. The romantic drama, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, has managed to do what other films have not by directly marketing its actors to the audience.

First-timers experience a record-breaking launch

Saiyaara has become the highest grossing net box office performer in Indian film history starring a debutante, according to its first-day earnings. It broke the records established in the 2000s by movies like Refugee, which starred Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, which marked Hrithik Roshan's debut in the film business.

A love story that hasn't been seen in this way since 2000

The film has the largest opening ever for an Indian "pure love story" at the box office. Since the pandemic, this is the first romantic drama to earn more than Rs 20 crore net on its debut day. According to box office numbers, "Saiyaara" sold more tickets than any other first-time film in the previous twenty-five years.

Few screens, large profits

It's all the more amazing that Saiyaara was able to achieve these results with a limited run. In India, it debuted on just 8,000 screens, which is less than half of the 18,000 screens that typically show openers that generate ₹20 crore or more. In any case, the film's unexpectedly strong performances in West Bengal and Bihar caused major national multiplex chains to assert complete houses in several towns.

The greatest opening in Mohit Suri's career

Saiyara is filmmaker Mohit Suri's most popular film to date, known for songs from Ek Villain and Aashiqui 2. In particular, it establishes his supremacy in the romance genre among younger audiences.

No conventional advertising

Contrary to the usual anime release strategy, Saiyara did not conduct interviews, promotional town tours, or influencer collaborations. The movie's actors were told to avoid the media. Instead, YRF decided to start a nationwide campaign that made use of trailers, word-of-mouth, and music. This content-first strategy, it appears, was quite effective.

Can Saiyara keep up with its historic debut and establish itself as one of the most unexpected blockbusters of the year? Answering that issue will depend on what happens this weekend.

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