Filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has praised Yash Raj Films (YRF) for its unconventional promotional strategy for Saiyaara, the debut film of Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, calling the approach a “genius move.”
Directed by Mohit Suri, the romantic drama hit theatres on July 18 and had a strong box office opening, despite minimal pre-release publicity.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Gupta wrote, “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. They kept alive the freshness exclusively for the big screen. And look at how it’s worked.”
Gupta’s comments come as the film set advance booking records, with trade analyst Taran Adarsh reporting that 1.38 lakh tickets were sold across national chains by Thursday afternoon.
Saiyaara follows the story of Krish (Ahaan Panday), an aspiring singer, and Vaani (Aneet Padda), a lyricist. Despite coming from vastly different worlds, their connection sparks a tender and deeply emotional love story.
Promoted as a celebration of flawed and unconditional love, the film has resonated strongly with audiences, with many crediting its fresh-faced leads and emotional depth.
Saiyaara is now playing in theatres worldwide.
