Cast: Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda, Geeta Agarwal Sharma, Rajesh Kumar
Director: Mohit Suri
Screenplay: Sankalp Sadanah, Rohan Shankar
Release Date: Friday, July 18
Duration: 2 hours 36 minutes
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
In an era where love stories are often sugar-coated with social media filters and superficial angst, Saiyaara arrives like a forgotten letter from a time when romance was tender, raw, and soaked in longing. Mohit Suri, back in form after a rocky patch, taps into his signature emotional intensity and gift for music-driven storytelling to deliver a film that is both heartbreaking and hopeful — a gentle reminder that true love doesn’t always end in fireworks, but often in echoes that linger.
Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday), a rising star in the indie music circuit, is all fire — ambition, rage, and passion. Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda), a quiet soul nursing the wounds of a broken relationship, enters his chaotic life like a calming verse in a turbulent song. Their chemistry crackles instantly, not with grand declarations, but with quiet understanding and shared dreams.
Just when their relationship begins to bloom, Vaani receives a diagnosis that shatters their world — early-onset Alzheimer’s. What follows is not a tale of illness but of courage, memory-making, and fighting the fading light with more light. Saiyaara isn't about asking if love can survive tragedy — it’s about how two people can hold on to each other even when memories slip away like sand through fingers.
Ahaan Panday steps into the spotlight with surprising confidence. He stumbles a bit in the early moments but soon finds his rhythm, particularly in the emotional crescendos of the second half. His portrayal of Krish is layered — a mix of vulnerability and fury, talent and self-doubt.
Aneet Padda shines as Vaani — her portrayal is understated but emotionally potent. She becomes the film’s moral compass, its beating heart. Together, the duo shares genuine chemistry, the kind that can’t be forced or faked.
Supporting performances are functional, with Geeta Agrawal (as Vaani’s mother) delivering the most memorable side act. However, the rest of the ensemble deserved more attention and nuance.
If there’s one reason you must watch Saiyaara on the big screen, it’s the music. Crafted by a diverse group of talented composers — Mithoon, Tanishk Bagchi, Vishal Mishra, and others — the soundtrack doesn’t just complement the narrative, it drives it.
Each of the five original tracks feels like a character in itself — not just filler, but moments of storytelling. ‘Saiyaara Mera Badla Nahi Hai’ isn’t just a title track, it’s a haunting anthem for all lovers who’ve lost and loved anyway. The cinematography (Vikas Sivaraman) elevates each song sequence with poetic visuals, painting love not in neon gloss, but in warm dusk tones.
Mohit Suri returns to his comfort zone — melancholic romance with soul-stirring music — and proves why he once redefined the genre with films like Aashiqui 2. Here, he balances modern-day conflicts with timeless emotions, steering clear of over-the-top melodrama and allowing the silences, the glances, and the lyrics to speak volumes.
The screenplay (by Sankalp Sadanah) does meander slightly in the second half, and predictability creeps in. But Suri’s emotional control and poetic pacing help the film rise above its clichés. Dialogues by Rohan Shankar are another standout, brimming with heartache, hope, and honesty.
Saiyaara is that rare modern love story that doesn’t try to impress — it tries to connect. It chooses subtlety over spectacle, emotion over exposition. With unforgettable music, endearing performances, and a script that believes in the purity of love even in its most broken form, it’s a cinematic ballad you’ll hum long after the credits roll.
Bottom Line:
Like a slow-burn ballad at dusk, Saiyaara touches the soul with its sincerity. Come for the music, stay for the love.