Saiyaara Movie Review: A New‑Age Love Saga Breaks Records and Hearts

Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara, released today (July 18, 2025), ushers in a fresh era of romantic cinema with newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda leading the charge. The film – produced and distributed by Yash Raj Films – is already rewriting script norms in Bollywood, thanks to its emotional depth, soulful soundtracks, and nostalgic throwbacks to golden-era romance.

Anticipation Builds: Advance Booking Rockets

Ahead of release, Saiyaara saw phenomenal momentum in advance ticket sales — nearly 1.90 lakh tickets sold, making it the second‑highest grossing Bollywood pre‑sale of 2025, trailing only behind Chhaava. Industry tracker Sacnilk estimates the advance revenue at ₹9.4 crore— a figure unheard of for a film led by debut actors.

Box‑Office Blitz: Day One Records

By Friday midday, the film had already raked in over ₹6.27 crore.

By early evening, it neared ₹10 crore, with final estimates poised between ₹14–19 crore .

Hindustan Times confirms a solid ₹19.6 crore haul for Day 1 — officially the biggest Bollywood opener in 2025 starring new talent.

Remarkably, Saiyaara surpassed established franchises like Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (₹19.45 crore) and Aashiqui 2. Koimoi reports highest morning‑show occupancy of the year — a record‑breaker at 35.51%.

Critical Response: Mixed, but Heartfelt

Positives:

Critics and early‑screening guests like singer Palak Muchhal praised the film’s emotional authenticity. Muchhal described it as “pure magic,” lauding the stirring performances by Panday and Padda.

Filmmaker Kunal Kohli applauded Suri for reviving melodic, soulful Bollywood — even lamenting that “today’s heroes have killed music”.

Positive word‑of‑mouth has been consistent: early buzz suggests audiences are moved to tears.

Critiques:

Hindustan Times acknowledges emotional resonance despite familiar tropes, rating it 3.5/5, calling it a “heartfelt experience”.

Indian Express was more critical, rating it 2/5, pointing at a dialogue‑heavy script and inconsistent tone — “not Aashiqui 3,” they concluded.

Koimoi noted impressive leads but stressed that serious themes like young‑onset Alzheimer’s were treated thinly, making the second half feel “schizophrenic” .

Social media echoes similar ambivalence:

“I saw the movie… too long with some moments stretched and really predictable. I like the title track but tbh all other songs were a huge …”

Censorship Stir: CBFC Cuts Scenes

A minor controversy surfaced overnight: the CBFC cut a 10‑second intimate scene, along with four instances of objectionable language, and mandated a helmet safety warning for bike sequences. Netizens questioned inconsistent censorship — “How was Housefull 5 approved then?” was a common refrain.

Music: The Heart of Saiyaara

Music — the soul of any Mohit Suri film — has struck a deep chord. Composed by big names including Sachet‑Parampara, Mithoon, Tanishk Bagchi and others, the soundtrack has become a trending element around today’s release. The title track and “Barbaad” are already charting on music streaming and YouTube platforms.

Weekend Forecast: Sustained Success?

Analysts peg the opening day at ₹20–25 crore territory — a blockbuster threshold.

Strong advance numbers and positive reviews indicate a robust weekend, especially among youth and college‑age viewers.

Expect YRF to secure strong OTT deals — Netflix is considered a frontrunner, though the makers are in discussions.