Mohit Suri’s romantic drama Saiyaara, featuring debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, has delivered a stunning start at the box office, earning ₹21.25 crore on its opening day in India.
Despite having no star power, franchise tag, or holiday release advantage, the film’s performance has surprised industry insiders and audiences alike.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh confirmed the numbers on X, calling it a historic opening. “#Saiyaara is the BIGGEST OPENER EVER for a film headlined by newcomers,” he wrote, adding that it outpaced advance bookings for major films like Housefull 5, Raid 2, Sikandar, and Sitaare Zameen Par.
The film recorded strong occupancy in both single screens and multiplexes across the country, reflecting wide appeal across demographics.
Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta praised the YRF team for its unconventional promotional strategy, which avoided media overexposure of the lead pair before release. “Whoever took the decision at YRF to keep the lead pair of Saiyaara away from all the pre-release interviews, appearances, and podcasts is a genius,” he wrote on X.
Directed by Mohit Suri, Saiyaara follows the emotional journey of Krish, an aspiring singer, and Vaani, a lyricist. Their love story, rooted in contrasts and emotional vulnerability, has struck a chord with the audience.
With strong word-of-mouth and rising weekend footfalls expected, trade experts predict that Saiyaara could be on its way to becoming one of the biggest sleeper hits of the year.
