Mohit Suri directorial Saiyaara scripts history breaks old records
Mohit Suri directorial Saiyaara scripts history breaks old records
Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara fearuring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda has scripted history. According to Sacnilk,it has turned out to be one of the biggest openers of the year so far, thus grossing earning Rs 20 crore, which is unprecedented for a film of this scale. It has ousted Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor’s 2018 released film Dhadak to emerge the highest opening-day grosser with debutants as leads in recent times. After its release on July 18, Saiyaara turned out to be a talking point on social media.
The buzz surrounding the film was so intense and the pre-sale figures were so overwhelming that the midnight shows added even before it could hit the theatres. As per current reports the film has clocked a whopping
Rs 24 crore on Saturday. The domestic figures combined with the worldwide box office numbers have already crossed the
Rs 50 crore mark. This is just the beginning. Experts reveal that the Saiyaara rampage at the box office will continue and there will be no stopping.
Buzz is doing the rounds that “Saiyaara” is a straight lift from the Korean Film
‘A Moment To Remember’
“Saiyaara” has broken old records and has scripted history.
There are videos doing the rounds on social media of audiences serenading to the title track of Saiyaara and hooting, clapping and whistling at Ahaan’s entry sequence on a bike. This, right here, is history in the making, particularly for a film headlined by newcomers.
Trade analysts reveal that on day one, it has sold the most tickets for a debutant film in
25 years since the Rakesh Roshan directorial featuring fresh faces Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel “Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai” and JP Dutta’s “Refugee”. Notably it marks Mohit’s career-best opening.
It also holds the record for the highest opening day for a love story, post-pandemic. And Saiyaara has achieved these numbers with just 8,000 shows across India – less than half the average 18,000 shows typically required for a Rs 20 crore opener. These feats have happened without the actors being exposed to the public glare and sans any traditional publicity and marketing approach – zero interviews, zero city visits, no reels, no influencer content. This is euphoria and a mass hysteria.
More about Saiyaara:
How has Saiyaara come to be a case study for the biggest filmmakers and superstars? Netizens reveal what Aashiqui 2 was for the millennials, Saiyaara is for the Gen-Z. Sure, nobody portrays heartbreaks and mopey love sagas on the big screen like Mohit Suri. For sure Ahaan and Aneet have delivered performances like seasoned artists in their debut outings.
But is that enough for a box office tsunami?
Following the release and the box-office collections all over, the release of Ajay Devgn’s Son Of Sardaar 2 has been deferred from July 25 to August 1? Impact of the unprecedented success of Saiyaara.
It’s the belief of Veteran film trade expert Taran Adarsh that a lot of it has got to do with the fact that Saiyaara more than compensated for the dearth of a true-blue Bollywood romance. “It’s an intense love story and we’ve forgotten how to make them in recent times. Saiyaara’s music is also grabbing attention. Romantic films were being made and with it the rom-coms but an intense love story with good music was lacking. An emphasis on music for a Hindi film is of prime importance and it has been proved time and again.
Reacting to the viral videos on Instagram, he shares, “In the 70s and the 80s, trailers, posters and newspaper ads were the only way to communicate to the audience about a new film. Songs would come out only in the form of cassettes and LP records before the release. People heard music and did not watch it. The same thing happened here. There are videos where the youth is going crazy over the songs of Saiyaara and singing along. It’s unbelievable in today’s times.”
Producer and film business expert Girish Johar lauds YRF for its ‘beautiful’ promotional strategy. “They promoted the songs aggressively on digital media. The music front-lined their promotional strategy. They also engaged in count schemes to attract the audience. And above all, the trailer was really good. Good music further excited the audience and they found a lot of resonance in the songs and the results are now out for us to see,” he explains.
‘Secrecy’ and Intrigue
YRF’s ‘show more and tell less’ secret sauce recipe has worked wonders. “The film has no franchise power and doesn’t have popular stars. It didn’t have a holiday release. The marketing strategy didn’t include city tours, media interviews or collaborations with influencers. The producers had kept Ahaan and Aneet completely under wraps. Actors overexpose themselves before their film releases with multiple mall visits. But here, it’s the freshness that worked. People wouldn’t be spending so much money if the product wasn’t worth it. And Saiyaara is worth it,” Taran says.
He adds, “A lot of audiences buying tickets may still not be aware of the hero and the heroine’s names. There’s still a sense of curiosity, ki naya ladka kaun hai, nayi ladki kaun hai. But look at the way it’s creating waves at the box office! Son Of Sardaar 2 has been pushed. They haven’t officially stated that the reason behind that is Saiyaara. And thankfully, Mohit’s film doesn’t have 40-year-old actors playing college students or running around trees. Age-appropriate casting is what has worked for Saiyaara.”
The Non-Star Value
“I can imagine a Shah Rukh Khan or a Salman Khan film doing those kinds of numbers, not a film like this with a new hero and a new heroine banking solely on music and romance,” exclaims Taran. Times have changed and so has the audience’s taste. But the one thing that remains superior to everything else – even the familiar face of a star – is content. “What we’re witnessing is the Saiyaara wave. This is a historic moment. It’s a well-made film too. Ahaan and Aneet are superb in their debut performances,” he continues.
Echoing his sentiments, Girish says, “There’s a paradigm shift post-COVID. OTT has challenged the star system and has led people to watch good content and that’s also reflecting on the audience behaviour at the box office. Their mindset has changed. If they resonate with a story or a genre, it will soar. Audiences want to see a well-rounded entertainer and they’re no longer dependent on a star to deliver that.”
A Success Story That Will Unsettle Some, Inspire Some
With Bollywood largely going through a dry spell, the success of Saiyaara has brought about some much-needed relief. These are times when even the biggest superstars of the country are struggling to get a decent opening, let alone create records. But Saiyaara, made on an average budget, may very soon enter the Rs 100 crore club. What does it mean for the industry at large? “This will rewrite industry norms. Everyone has to pull up their socks now,” says Girish.
“The stars also need to ensure that their films are worthy enough to drawn in audiences. They’re demanding massive fees but are their films even managing to earn ten percent of that money on day one? They’ve no option now but to rethink. The success of Saiyaara will also give a boost to producers’ confidence. If they feel that a story is good, they won’t have to depend on stars to headline it anymore. Music, screenplay and direction are critical elements of a film,” he points out.
News Edit KV Raman
