So here we are again—another “blockbuster” that no one saw coming. YRF’s Saiyaara, directed by Mohit Suri and starring debutant Ahaan Panday (yes, another nepo baby) and newcomer Aneet Padda, is supposedly setting the box office on fire with a monstrous ₹83 crore nett weekend. But let’s pause and ask the obvious: how is a film with two rookies and zero media buzz smashing records like this?
The film reportedly raked in ₹21 crore on Day 1, ₹25 crore on Day 2, and a whopping ₹37 crore on Day 3. Sounds impressive, right? Until you realise that even seasoned Bollywood stars can’t touch those numbers without two weeks of promotional overdrive. Ahaan Panday, with no acting portfolio and barely any screen presence in the real world, was kept far away from pre-release promotions. There were no interviews, no controversies, no trending reels. Just a “surprise” mega opening. Smells like a PR plant? That’s because it probably is.
Let’s talk about the influencer circus now. A special screening of Saiyaara was held on Sunday (Day 3) at Roongta Cinemas in Ghaziabad—for creators with over 20K followers. Not journalists. Not reviewers. But influencers—served brunch, high tea, curated gifts, and God knows what else. Call it what you want, but we call it what it is: a well-disguised ad campaign under the garb of film promotion.
Traditionally, special influencer screenings are pre-release events, designed to create buzz. Holding one after the film’s release—on Day 3, when box office numbers are peaking—feels less like marketing and more like manipulation. Also, will these gifted influencers provide objective feedback? You know the answer.
Now the industry and fanboys are screaming that Saiyaara is the “surprise hit of the year.” Mahesh Babu has apparently praised it. Karan Johar’s all hearts. But the audience? They're just confused. Public trailer reactions done by platforms like Bollywood Helpline showed that nobody even knew this film existed, let alone cared about Ahaan Panday’s debut. So what changed? Suddenly, mass hysteria?
A star kid no one had ever heard of suddenly emerges from the shadows with a debut and overnight becomes a so-called "worldwide sensation"? Seriously, how foolish do teams think the audience is? In an era where legends like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Akshay Kumar built their careers from scratch—facing rejection, delivering flops, and earning love one film at a time—we’re expected to believe that a nobody with no media presence, no trailer launch buzz, and zero interviews has captured the nation's heart? Let’s not forget Salman's modest start with Biwi Ho Toh Aisi, Shah Rukh’s impactful debut in Deewana, or Akshay’s humble entry in Aaj. Even with multiple failures and flops like Bachchan Pandey, Raksha Bandhan or Bade miyan chote Miyan, Akshay cemented his name with resilience and sheer hard work. And now, here comes a privileged newcomer, parachuted into fame without proving a thing, and we’re convinced he’s a phenomenon? What a joke.
Don’t get us wrong. We’re not denying Saiyaara its due. If it’s earning, so be it. But let’s not pretend it’s all pure love from the people. This is the same film industry that, earlier this year, faked buzz around Sky Force, another debut vehicle for a politician’s relative. That film tanked. But at least the hype was honest. This, though? This feels like corporate bookings and bulk influencer shows dressed up as "nationwide love."
If Saiyaara really is a hit, let the numbers speak naturally. But when you have Sunday brunch screenings for influencers and no pre-release awareness, don’t expect people not to ask questions. Because when your movie’s fame relies more on free gifts than fanfare, the audience will always wonder: is this cinema or just another sponsored reel?