Yash Raj Films’ (YRF) upcoming romantic drama Saiyaara, which marks the acting debut of Ananya Panday’s cousin Ahaan Panday, has already grossed over Rs 4 crore in advance booking ahead of its July 18 release, as per latest trade reports..
Helmed by Mohit Suri, known for films like Aashiqui 2 and Ek Villain, Saiyaara stars Ahaan alongside Aneet Padda, who made a mark with her performance in Prime Video’s Big Girls Don’t Cry.
As per industry data-tracking portal Sacnilk, Saiyaara has earned Rs 4.37 crore gross (Rs 6.76 crore gross with block seats) in pre-sales for 5,021 shows.
Delhi leads among states with a contribution of Rs 1.22 crore gross, followed by Maharashtra (Rs 1.13 crore gross), Uttar Pradesh (Rs 86.28 lakh), West Bengal (Rs 49.62 lakh), and Karnataka (Rs 40.6 lakh).
American entertainment magazine Variety has reported that the pre-sales figure for Saiyaara is the highest for any debutant-led Bollywood film.
In Saiyaara, Ahaan plays Krissh Kapoor, a gifted but temperamental musician trying to make a mark in the music industry. Sparks fly when he meets Vaani (Aneet Padda), a songwriter. Their creative collaboration soon turns into a complicated love story.
Breaking away from the traditional marketing playbook, YRF has kept its lead pair away from press interviews and public events, instead choosing to build intrigue through the film’s music and visuals, Variety reported.
“We set out to make a very pure film and I’m happy that it is connecting with the audience and making them want to see Saiyaara,” Mohit Suri told Variety. “We haven’t tried to oversell the film to the audience. Our campaign has been all heart and we are very happy with the response that we have got so far,” he added.
Much of the early buzz around Saiyaara has been driven by its soundtrack. The album consists of Faheem-Arslan's soulful title track, Jubin Nautiyal’s heartbreak anthem Barbaad, Vishal Mishra’s melody Tum Ho Toh, the upbeat Humsafar by Sachet-Parampara, and Dhun, a romantic duet by Arijit Singh and Mithoon. Reprised versions by Shreya Ghoshal and Shilpa Rao have also impressed listeners.
Saiyaara marks the first collaboration between YRF and Suri.
