Aashiqui Vibes, Modern Faces, Same Old Suri
Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara is not trying to be clever. It’s just trying to feel—deeply, loudly, and sometimes dramatically. And on that front, it delivers. This is a film that wears its broken heart on its sleeve, offers up a playlist of aching melodies, and wraps it in a love story that flirts with clichés but clings to sincerity.
Plot: Damaged Souls, Familiar Road
Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday), an ambitious singer weighed down by rage and a troubled father, finds unlikely inspiration in Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda), a shy journalist with a notebook full of lyrics and scars from a wedding gone wrong. He turns her words into music; she turns his chaos into calm. What follows is a partnership rooted in passion—musical and emotional—that’s tested by fame, memory loss, and messy pasts.
If you’ve seen Aashiqui 2, you’ve seen the bones of Saiyaara. But instead of alcohol addiction, this time it’s early-onset Alzheimer’s that threatens the lovers. The setup is melodramatic, the diagnosis is convenient, and yet—thanks to the performances—it occasionally hits you where it hurts.
Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda: A Promising Start
Ahaan Panday surprises. There’s a rawness to his screen presence that works for a character like Krish—impulsive, brooding, and desperate to be understood. He isn’t reinventing the wheel, but there’s a spark that might carry him through tougher roles down the line.
Aneet Padda, meanwhile, is the film’s emotional core. Her performance as Vaani is a balancing act between vulnerability and strength. She makes you believe in the silences more than the melodrama. Together, their chemistry is textured enough to survive some of the script’s weaker moments.
Music: Mohit Suri’s Lifeline
You come to a Mohit Suri film expecting one thing to work no matter what: the soundtrack. Saiyaara doesn’t disappoint. With a line-up of composers and lyricists, the film delivers songs that are already climbing playlists. Tum Ho Toh and the title track Saiyaara are standouts—melodic, haunting, and deeply in sync with the story’s emotional graph.
Irshad Kamil’s lyrics are the soul of the film. Lines like “Mausam badla hai, tu nahi” hit hard, especially when the script begins to fumble elsewhere.
Flaws That Can’t Be Sung Away
For all its sincerity, Saiyaara struggles in its second half. The pacing wobbles, the narrative feels stretched, and the handling of Alzheimer’s is too convenient to be convincing. Vaani remembers when the plot needs her to, and forgets when it’s time to tug at heartstrings. Emotional manipulation replaces honest storytelling, and that’s where the film loses its footing.
The film also leans heavily on nostalgia, both visually and thematically. At times, it feels like a spiritual sequel to Suri’s earlier works, but without the same urgency or novelty.
Final Verdict: ★★★☆☆ (3/5 stars)
Saiyaara is far from perfect, but it isn’t trying to be. It’s a throwback to Bollywood’s obsession with tragic love stories—with just enough charm, chemistry, and soulful music to keep you invested. Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda make a convincing debut, and while the storytelling lacks finesse, the emotional beats still find a home in your heart.
It’s flawed, familiar, and a little too formulaic—but Saiyaara knows its audience. If you’re the kind who listens to sad songs on loop after a breakup, this one’s for you.