Saiyaara review: Ahaan Panday's starry debut for hearts that loved, lost and healed

India Today

18-07-2025

Love stories are made in heaven. There's someone out there for everyone. Your heart will know when you meet the right one. And there's nothing quite like that feeling - when you're in the presence of someone who makes you forget the world.A whole generation grew up being taught the above, learning and unlearning love, shaped by grand cinematic moments that felt more like fantasy than fact. And while there's joy in that escapism, 'Saiyaara' dares to bring love down to earth. Somewhere between the rawness and vulnerability of Bollywood's fresh faces - Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda - you sense a connection that feels real.advertisementLet's set the record straight: 'Saiyaara' doesn't offer something you haven't seen before. But in parts, it feels different - especially because it acknowledges and attempts to heal a generation raised on heartbreak. If watching Aman leave Naina felt like betrayal, or if Rahul Jaykar's suicide crushed you, 'Saiyaara' offers a promise: that if it's not good yet, it's not the end.
Directed by Mohit Suri, it follows the story of rising singer Krish Kapoor (Panday) and his songwriter, Vaani Batra (Padda). The two meet, start working together, fall in love and, like any relationship worth its salt, are tested by the tides. As Krish ascends to stardom, Vaani wrestles with her own battles.The film leans heavily on its soulful soundtrack, delivering hit after hit, but it also gives ample space for both Padda and Panday to shine. Suri paints his cinematic canvas with bold strokes of drama, emotion, love, loss, and hope. And each colour stands tall.Panday is a star, right from the first scene, even when he subtly reminds you of Ranveer Singh from his initial days. And Padda, an absolute delight to watch. While both have room to grow as performers, together they command the screen with a chemistry that is warm, electric, and deeply believable. Honestly, I don't remember the last time Bollywood brought such palpable chemistry on-screen that makes your heart race faster. Their shared silences speak as much as their dialogues, and even when the screenplay falters, their bond holds the narrative together.'Saiyaara' is also the love story of today's generation with all its noise, its silences, its broken edges and its fragile hopes. It carries the potential to pull young audiences back to theatres - not with spectacle, but with something far more enduring: emotion. The magic of its music lifts the narrative, wrapping every moment in melody, while the chemistry between the leads sizzles on screen.Writers Sankalp Sadanah and Rohan Shankar have created a world that mirrors the inner battles of an entire generation - wars waged between ambition and anxiety, love and loneliness, wanting to make it big yet stay grounded, dealing with unresolved tensions with parents, and through it all, yearning for just one moment of peace. One moment of love. One moment of selfless stillness.advertisement'Saiyaara' lets you see yourself in its heartbreaks and little victories. It speaks a language many young hearts know too well.The film's only real flaw is in its familiarity. The narrative feels like a path we've walked before. The story isn't new, the dilemmas aren't unheard of. But perhaps that's also the point - it's not trying to be a new love story. It's probably trying to be a love story. Perhaps that's enough.What makes 'Saiyaara' worth appreciating is its portrayal of a vulnerable male protagonist. Bollywood has long glorified the rage, the ego, the armour of its heroes. But Krish Kapoor stands in stark contrast, he weeps, waits, and he lets go. He hurts in silence. He feels deeply, like the heroines once did in classic cinema. In one scene, he's furious and fraying at the edges, and shattered and longing in the next. 'Saiyaara' doesn't promise the best love story or the most dazzling performances. But it holds your hand, sings to your broken heart, and walks with you for a while. It's entertaining, emotional, and musical - a cinematic piece where the flaws are visible, but so is the heart.Also, finally - welcome, Ahaan Panday! You look like you are meant for the movies.- Ends3.5 stars out of 5 to 'Saiyaara'