π¬ CineReview
π¬ Saiyaara
Love, Loss, and the Lure of a Song
Introduction
Mohit Suri returns to his comfort zone with Saiyaara, a sweeping musical romance that’s equal parts nostalgia and new-age charm. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it polishes it well enough to make you hop on for the ride. With debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda at the helm, the film banks heavily on fresh energy, heartfelt music, and good old Bollywood sentimentality.
Plot Summary
In the bustling lanes of Mumbai’s music scene, Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday) is a gifted, headstrong musician whose world revolves around his guitar and his ambitions. Tara (Aneet Padda), reserved but quietly passionate, steps into his life like an unexpected melody.
Their romance blossoms in the glow of city lights and the hum of shared dreams, but as is tradition in the Suri cinematic universe, love comes hand-in-hand with heartbreak. Between the pressures of ambition, family expectations, and personal insecurities, their relationship is tested to breaking point.
The storyline travels familiar territoryβmeet-cute, soaring romantic montages, inevitable separation, and a bittersweet climaxβbut it’s told with a sincerity that earns your attention.
Performances
π Ahaan Panday
Delivers a confident debut, blending cocky charm with moments of genuine vulnerability. His portrayal of Krish, said to be inspired by Virat Kohli’s persona, works well for the arc of a man torn between his passion and his love.
π Aneet Padda
Steals the show. She doesn’t just play Tara; she inhabits her. Her emotive eyes and restrained yet powerful expressions make her the emotional anchor of the film. It’s easy to see why audiences are calling her the new “national crush.”
π« Together, their chemistry cracklesβnot the slow burn of an art-house romance, but the instant spark of two magnets.
Technical Aspects
π΅ Music & Background Score
The beating heart of Saiyaara. Mithoon and Tanishk Bagchi craft a soundtrack that is as integral to the storytelling as the script itself.
πΈ Cinematography & Visuals
Vikas Sivaraman paints the screen with warm tones, golden-hour cityscapes, and music-video-style romance shots.
π Story & Screenplay
Heartfelt but predictable. Suri sticks to his tried-and-tested romantic tragedy blueprint.
βοΈ Editing & Pacing
The first half breezes by, but the second half drags during emotionally heavy scenes.
Ratings by Category
| Aspect | Rating |
|---|---|
| Story & Screenplay | β β β ββ (3/5) |
| Performances | β β β β β (4/5) |
| Chemistry | β β β β β (4/5) |
| Music & Background Score | β β β β β (5/5) |
| Cinematography & Visuals | β β β β β (4/5) |
| Editing & Pacing | β β βββ (2.5/5) |
| Dialogue | β β β ββ (3/5) |
π― Verdict
Saiyaara is not groundbreaking cinema, but it’s a heartfelt ode to love and music. If you grew up on the romantic dramas of the 2000sβwhere every heartbreak had a soundtrack and every stolen glance had perfect lightingβyou’ll find yourself right at home.
It’s a film for those who want to feel, not think; to hum along, not analyze. And sometimes, that’s exactly the kind of escape Bollywood should offer.
