Opinion: Saiyaara – Beyond The Hysteria, A Happy Tale Of Love, Faith, Sacrifice & Devotion
There are two standouts in the cinema. One is its music along with the lyrics and the second are the newcomers, Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda
Many cinema pundits are still not able to wrap their heads around the success and widespread love that the cinema Saiyaara is receiving. They are not able to fathom what the cinema is offering to attract audiences to the theatre in a year when many Hindi cinema stalwarts have not been able to crack the box office numbers.
Saiyaara has been able to garner appreciation from the audience and public, especially among the youth.
This is a great sign for the Hindi cinema industry which is still coming to grips with the post-Covid turmoil that has drastically affected the box office numbers. Nothing is perfect but what is popular cannot be ignored. I don't believe in a pessimistic approach and have always looked for the pragmatic narrative. Let's understand this in detail.
Saiyaara is a love story of Krish (played by Ahaan Pandey) and Vaani (played by Aneet Padda). The cinema revolves around the growth of Krish as a musician and Vaani's role in his success while she struggles with an incurable illness.
The cinema traverses about their initial struggles where Krish is struggling as a musician and Vaani, a passionate writer, had faced a brutal betrayal from a lover. The cinema shows how their paths cross and how they are a perfect fit for each other. One is a musician and the other is a writer. Their growing love faces many hurdles leading to the ultimate climax. The cinema is a good watch. People who have made sacrifices in their lives for love connect with it.
The direction of Mohit Suri keeps the audience gripped in this love saga. Barring a few sluggish moments, the cinema is fast-paced and keeps the audience hooked. The story is simple and the screenplay is good as well. The cinema becomes a little predictable in the second half but leaves the audience with a very positive message in the end.
There are two standouts in the cinema. One is its music along with the lyrics and the second are the newcomers, Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda. Both are superstars in the making, especially Aneet is a very, very good actor.
Firstly, the music of the cinema is stupendous. The title song of Saiyaara is one for the ages. One keeps on humming the track long after the cinema finishes. The songs 'Tum Ho Toh' and 'Dhun' also strike a right chord with the audience. The background score of the cinema is also good. The lyrics by Irshad Kamil, Raj Shekhar, Mithoon and Rishabh Kant are brilliant and merge perfectly with the overall theme of the cinema.
Lyrics of the title track 'Yaadon ke taare tootenge kaise, mere hain jo woh roothenge kaise' represent the trust between the protagonists. Similarly, the lyrics of the same title track 'Jis roz hum tum phir se milenge, yeh saari baatein tujhse kahenge, duniya mein chaahe ban jaayein jo bhi, tere bina tab kuch na rahenge' beautifully melt the devotion of love shown in the cinema through lyrics. Moreover, lyrics of the 'Dhun' song, 'Na kami koi khalegi, tujhe itna pyaar dunga chaand taare le aaun, hai ye to mumkin nahi, par vaada hai ye kasam se, tere saath main rahunga', and 'Ye main daawa nahi kar raha, koi taj mahal hai mera, naam ki chand deewarein hain, jinko hi ghar main kehta raha', reflect the groundedness and reality of their love, devoid of any superfluous claims and wishes.
Secondly, the newcomers Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda appear that they are here to stay. Ahaan looks like a mature actor. He has captured the different shades of his character very well. Be it anger issues or out-of-the-world care for his loved one, Ahaan Pandey delivers each emotion with utmost conviction. Aneet Padda is a perfect casting for the role of Vaani. She has an element of innocence about her that has a direct connection with the audience. The simplicity and charm that she brings on screen makes the audience's heart melt. Her performance is absolutely brilliant. She appears to have a very bright future. Overall, the cinema is a good watch that leaves the audience with a happy feeling by the end, making a compelling case for reviewing. A pertinent aspect but unmarked mostly is the makeup of Aneet; it's kept so unartificial, unplastic, minimalist that it lives the character. Hats off to the director for his pure vision.
Now, coming to the connection that the cinema has with the audience. There are multiple reasons for it. Let me list down a few of the most prominent ones. First, the simple love story along with its characters, has a high empathetic connection with the Bharatiya audience, especially the youth. The struggle of Krish is close to the everyday struggle of the youth, where they have to bash their way to glory. Emotions of anger and resentment are a byproduct of the same. Similarly, the innocence and charm of Vaani, seeking pure love from her companion, while sacrificing her dreams for family and love, is a story of many women in Bharat. This relatability has a direct connection with the audience. Also, the affinity quotient is high with Vaani's middle-class family. The scene where Vaani's mother, on meeting Krish for the first time, asks him if he would marry her is pure gold. This is like all mothers caring about the well-being of their daughters, leaving little scope for boys to fool around. Also, the curd-eating scene where Vaani's mother offers curd to Krish in a spoon and he doesn't know how to take it creates the charm of Bharatiya society and our sense of care for each other. Every mother, son and daughter relates to such scenes.
Even the connection between Krish and his father in a scene where Krish is injured and his father is applying aid resembles many father-son relationships in Bharat. Secondly, the new faces Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda bring in a refreshing new perspective free from ideological and performance baggage. This adds to the overall equation of likability of the two protagonists. Thirdly, the sacrifice and love shown in the cinema is so pure that one gets satiated with the goodness of the overall viewing.
Their love is not a Chhapri love of physical and mental abuse, but is a melting pot of sacrifice, care for each other and respecting each other's feelings and aspirations. Their love is where both grow together with dreams aligned to each other's well-being. The chemistry between the two protagonists is in full display when Vaani stabs Krish and Krish, understanding her condition, rather than being angry, empathises with her and embraces her with all affection. Similarly, Vaani, even while facing an ailment, writes the most significant song for Krish before leaving him so that she doesn't become an impediment to his growth, synthesising the level of sacrifice of two individuals for each other.
This is a love story that one has been craving for ages. Also, the climax of the cinema epitomises their love and spirit of sacrifice very well. The last scene where two protagonists soak in the love of their fans, which has been the true wish of Vaani for Krish, provides a great completion. Natyashastra speaks about 'Sukhant' and Saiyaara delivers just that, ending the cinema on a very positive note. Lastly, the audience has for long been waiting for a good pure love story. There appears to be a fatigue around thrillers, suspense, abysmal comedies and other genres. Bharatiyas have for long shown their affinity towards 'prem rasa', which is again being showcased by the box office collection of Saiyaara.
The theatre experience videos of the cinema, which have created quite a buzz, might or might not be a PR exercise. People might or might not feel like that about the cinema after watching it in the theatre. But the cinema goes beyond those theatrical experience videos. This is a love story that is different. This is a love story that has a purpose. It brings in a positive notion about love stories and breaks away from the stereotypical storyline. It pushes forward a narrative of positivity where love is portrayed as a driver for success and how two people finding pure love work to fulfill each other's dreams.
The overall experience and messaging of the cinema is very positive, which works wonders for the cinema. Adding further, the acting, direction and music of the cinema compel for a good viewing. The hard work of the actors, directors and musicians needs to be promoted and appreciated.
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The author is a columnist and advisor to the Surat Lit Fest, Khajurao Literature Festival, and VESIM Literati Festival, Mumbai. His X handle is @ghumantu_skp. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views.
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July 27, 2025, 16:00 IST
News opinion Opinion: Saiyaara – Beyond The Hysteria, A Happy Tale Of Love, Faith, Sacrifice & Devotion
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