In Bollywood, the flavor of the season is presently Saiyaara. In its first five days in theaters, Mohit Suri's romantic drama has shattered numerous box office records and is moving swiftly toward the 200 crore rupee barrier. Being online over the last week means you've seen the hype for the movie, through the many theater reactions from fans, some of which are touching and others of which are cringeworthy, even if you haven't actually seen it. But that tsunami has caused people to pause and wonder, "What exactly is Saiyaara, and why is it working?" We'll take care of answering that for you!

A brand-new lead couple

Young 20-something actors Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda make their debut in Saiyaara, where they play young lovers in a manner that is, in some ways, age-appropriate. The lack of new and distinctive faces in Hindi movies has been a subject of complaint among viewers for far too long, and they have finally found them in Ahaan and Aneet. Unlike many young male actors before him, Ahaan does not emulate the Kartik Aaryan-Aditya Roy Kapur vibe. In contrast to the polished newcomers we have lately seen, Aneet has the raw, fresh appearance that a newcomer should have. Their skilled performances have enhanced the freshness and relatability.

A simple love story for a generation deprived of it

Some of the biggest and most successful Hindi films of late, particularly post-pandemic, have been mass entertainers or franchise hits. The focus has been on formula and scale. Every once in a while, a 12th Fail or Metro In Dino has snuck in, reminding the powers that be that the audiences are willing to gamble on the unknown, too. Saiyaara is the culmination of that. It is a simple, relatable love story without much melodrama (beyond what is needed for the screen).

But most importantly, it is an honest love story released at a time when most youngsters haven't seen a good one from Bollywood in years. A decade ago, there was Aashiqui 2, two decades ago, there were Hum Tum and Mohabbatein, and the 90s had DDLJ and the OG Aashiqui, just to name a few. Saiyaara follows in those footsteps, reminding a generation of what simple and selfless love can be like.

Green flags all the way

Although Saiyaara is not revolutionary, its treatment is at least unique. The plot is a typical tale of a rebel falling in love with a simple girl and how he changes himself to "save" her. The fact that Saiyaara is opposed to Rockstars is heavily implied by its green flag coding. As a female friend in her 30s put it, "Red flags are all around us because we have been so accustomed to dealing with problematic boys and men in relationships." Thus, it's nice to see a film that says, "No, men like this exist too." The way that Saiyara treats its hero, the rebellious man with a heart of gold, is what makes it different. He can conquer his demons for the sake of the woman he loves, unlike a Rahul Jaykar or Jordan. He tries to salvage their relationship rather than hurting her or himself. That's the power of a green forest!

The tuneful music returns

The lead couple was absent from Saiyaara's marketing. As a matter of fact, Aneet and Ahaan have not given a single interview up to this point. The focus was on the soundtrack and how director Mohit Suri was reentering the romance genre. When it was first released in June, the title song became an immediate hit with listeners. The songs that followed also gained popularity right away. The general opinion was that Saiyaara had brought back melody to Hindi film, which had been absent for some time. The film lacks item numbers, remixes, and even a dance between the two main characters to market it.

Mohit Suri + YRF combine

Saiyaara has been compared with Aashiqui 2 in its treatment and visual aesthetics and for good reason. Both films are directed by Mohit Suri. What makes Saiyaara even more special is that it has been produced by Yash Raj Films, a studio synonymous with romance since the days of Silsilaa, Chandni, and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. This collaboration allowed this film to have the intimacy and intensity of a Mohit Suri love story, while adding the scale and grandeur of a YRF film.

Old school promotions

There have been no cast visits to reality shows, the actors are not talking heads on every podcast in the country, and we aren't seeing them dance to their songs on a Kapil Sharma show, either. Saiyaara has not done anything that most Bollywood publicists and makers consider 'essential' to market a film these days. The only interviews for Saiyaara were given by the director Mohit Suri, lyricist Irshad Kamil, and the composers. The focus there was on the film, the story, the music, and why the new actors were cast. There was no reference to their struggles or attributions to Bollywood connect. The film flew under the radar, generating silent buzz among the audiences.

To sum it up, Saiyaara has been the breath of fresh air that the audience has been asking of Bollywood for quite some time. Its success is testament that audiences will reward you when you listen to them. Just as countless flops of late have taught us that they will punish even the biggest stars when you don't listen to them. Is Bollywood listening, though? That remains to be seen.

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