With a movie that is being compared to the legendary work of the seasoned director Mahesh Bhatt, who introduced Mohit Suri with Zeher (2005) some 20 years ago, Bhatt is now seeing his protégé carve out his own path. With its July 18 premiere, Saiyaara, Suri's most recent film, has rekindled memories of Bhatt's 1990 romantic drama Aashiqui and maintains a tradition that both filmmakers seem committed to: introducing new talent through stories that are driven by music.

Revisiting Aashiqui

The production of Aashiqui was an incredibly innocent experience for me, according to Bhatt in an interview with Mid Day. The filmmaker considered himself fortunate that the film resonated with the public and transformed the two newcomers into overnight sensations. He is talking about Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal, who gained notoriety because of the song's popularity.

In Saiyaara, the same weight of expectation is now borne by newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. According to Bhatt, the movie might be able to rival, if not surpass, Aashiqui's impact in the past. He hopes that Saiyaara would be followed by Suri. It's amazing that the movie reminds one of Aashiqui, Bhatt added, but he promised that it would change the bar for contemporary romance films. The filmmaker said that every subsequent generation must surpass the one that came before it. He would be overjoyed if Suri, his protege, surpassed him in every way possible.

Mohit Suri's background with Aashiqui 2

In the past, Bhatt has tasked Suri with carrying on the Aashiqui series. He handed him creative control of Aashiqui 2 in 2013, and the movie went on to become a huge commercial hit, raising the director's reputation.

In response to a question regarding his long-term mentorship relationship with Suri, Bhatt stated that he has always encouraged the filmmaker to experiment, especially when working with those who are less experienced. He said that working with two outstanding performers makes him incredibly happy and that Saiyaara represents a welcome change in direction. That, in his opinion, exclusively happens with newcomers.

As its release date draws closer, Bhatt's confidence in Saiyaara suggests that it is more than just a nostalgic trip; it also represents a transfer of responsibility and a quiet expectation that Suri will be able to reinvent the genre that his mentor helped establish.

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