1 Year of Saiyaara, the FIRST Gen Z BLOCKBUSTER: Before pre-Dhurandhar and post-Dhurandhar, Bollywood also has a pre-Saiyaara and post-Saiyaara era; analyzing how the Ahaan Panday-Aneet Padda starrer changed rules of promotions and STARDOM
Today, July 18, marks the first anniversary of Saiyaara’s (2025) release. In recent months, many have argued that Hindi cinema can be divided into the pre-Dhurandhar and post-Dhurandhar eras. However, even before that film created history, Saiyaara had emerged as a turning point in its own right. Its unprecedented success challenged several long-held beliefs about audiences, promotions, newcomers and the kind of films that could become blockbusters.
The film witnessed phenomenal advance booking, making it clear that it was set for a double-digit opening. Yet, when it collected a massive Rs. 22 crores on its first day, it stunned the trade and industry. The extraordinary word of mouth came into play immediately, with collections rising to Rs. 26.25 crores on Saturday. On Sunday, the film recorded another huge jump and earned Rs. 36.25 crores.
There were, of course, sceptics who questioned whether the collections were genuine. Some also expressed doubts over the videos showing frenzied audience reactions in cinemas. However, those closely following the trade knew what was unfolding: Saiyaara had become a rare cultural and box-office sensation.
This writer remembers attending an early-morning show at a Mumbai theatre on the film’s release day, packed predominantly with viewers below the age of 25. Their excitement was comparable to the frenzy usually associated with a major Bollywood release headlined by one of the Khans. It was evident that Saiyaara had struck a deep chord with a generation that the industry often complained was no longer interested in Hindi cinema.
The first Gen Z blockbuster
A section of the over-35 audience seemed particularly puzzled by the blockbuster success of Saiyaara. Many felt that the film offered emotions and situations that they had already witnessed in the romantic sagas of the 1990s and early 2000s. They struggled to understand why the film had become such a rage.
That, however, was precisely what made Saiyaara’s performance so special. It was among the first Hindi blockbusters to be driven largely by Gen Z viewers. The film proved that when this audience group wholeheartedly embraces a theatrical release, the collections can reach dizzying heights.
Two months later, Gen Z audiences delivered another surprise when the Japanese anime film Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle opened at Rs. 11.30 crores in India. Once again, many older viewers and industry observers were in disbelief. Some were unable to comprehend how a Japanese animated film had generated such tremendous excitement, while a few were not even familiar with the meaning of anime.
What they didn’t realize was that viewers below the age of 30, and particularly 25, had already been consuming anime and following the Demon Slayer series for years. Their connection with the franchise was strong enough for them to attend shows scheduled as early as 5:00 and 6:00 am.
Both films made it clear that the viewing habits and cultural reference points of younger audiences were different. The industry could no longer afford to judge their preferences solely through the lens of older generations.
The rules of film promotion changed
Another aspect that stumped the industry was how Saiyaara rewrote the conventional rules of publicity and promotions. Before its release, it was widely believed that actors needed to participate in countless interviews, appear on popular podcasts and embark on extensive multi-city promotional tours. The common argument was that unless a film and its stars constantly shouted from the rooftops, audiences would not turn up on the opening day.
Yet, there had already been several examples of films that were heavily promoted across the country but failed to attract viewers. In most such cases, the core promotional assets, that is, the songs, teaser or trailer, had failed to generate genuine excitement.
Producer Aditya Chopra and director Mohit Suri ensured that Saiyaara had a blockbuster soundtrack and followed it with an impactful trailer. These assets became the film’s primary promotional tools. There were no pre-release interviews, promotional events or nationwide tours.
Even after the film’s historic success, its newcomer leads, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, largely stayed away from the media. One year later, they have still not participated in the kind of extensive joint interviews or celebratory events normally expected after a blockbuster. Their social media activity during the release was also extremely limited. This approach was the complete opposite of the popular belief that actors needed to remain hyperactive on social media to connect with younger audiences.
For years, experts had warned that overexposure could harm an actor’s appeal. Most actors and filmmakers agreed with the argument in principle, but few were willing to take the risk. There was always a fear that a film would get overlooked if its stars did not go all out during promotions.
The team at Yash Raj Films allowed the film’s assets to do the talking. By keeping its newcomers away from the spotlight, it also created tremendous curiosity around them. The risk paid off, and how.
The Saiyaara model opened the eyes of actors, producers and publicity teams. It reinforced the idea that half the battle is won when audiences genuinely embrace a film’s songs, teaser and trailer. As a result, several filmmakers began focusing more closely on creating strong promotional material rather than merely increasing the volume of promotional appearances.
Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat used a similar strategy effectively. It did not follow the Saiyaara template to the T, as its lead actor Harshvardhan Rane eventually gave interviews, but only after the film had been released (and become a hit). Recently, director Milap Zaveri confirmed to Bollywood Hungama that the newcomers in his upcoming film Tera Yaar Hoon Main, Aman Indra Kumar and Akanksha Sharma, would also not be seen participating in interviews or promotional events before the release.
Nevertheless, this cannot be treated as a one-size-fits-all formula. Certain films and stars do benefit from extensive promotions. In the case of Cocktail 2 (2026), Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon and Rashmika Mandanna were visible across platforms, and their promotional campaign helped increase awareness and push the film’s first-day collections.
However, after the success of the Saiyaara experiment, filmmakers now have the confidence to choose restraint over overexposure. In the coming years, several films, particularly those featuring newcomers, are likely to adopt a similar strategy.
Follow your heart and laugh all the way to the bank
Coming back to its box-office performance, Saiyaara ended its theatrical run with lifetime collections of Rs. 337.78 crores. It emerged as the third-biggest hit of the year after Dhurandhar and Chhaava, and became one of the most profitable films in the history of Hindi cinema in terms of ROI.
Two newcomers managed to give several established stars a run for their money. The performances and chartbuster songs undoubtedly played a major role, but the film’s emotional honesty was equally crucial.
Mohit Suri made a film that appeared to come straight from his heart. Audiences can often sense when a filmmaker genuinely believes in the world and emotions he is presenting. That sincerity encourages viewers to invest in the story, as they instinctively feel that the film has the potential to move them.
This was in contrast to Mohit Suri’s earlier film, Ek Villain Returns (2022), which, by his own admission, was made while trying to anticipate what audiences might want to watch in the post-pandemic world. With Saiyaara, he seemingly stopped chasing trends and returned to the kind of emotionally charged musical romance that he understood best.
The result offered a simple but important lesson: filmmakers do not always need to second-guess the audience. Sometimes, following one’s creative instincts can also lead to extraordinary commercial rewards.
Time for new ‘gatbandhans’
Mohit Suri was also aided by Aditya Chopra, who reportedly gave him creative freedom while offering valuable inputs. On paper, the collaboration was unusual. Mohit’s emotionally intense and music-driven style appeared very different from the tightly controlled filmmaking and marketing ecosystem associated with Yash Raj Films.
Yet, it was this combination of contrasting sensibilities that made the partnership exciting. Mohit brought emotional depth, angst and music, while Aditya Chopra provided scale, discipline, resources and a unique promotional strategy.
The success of Saiyaara demonstrated that the sky is the limit when two diverse creative personalities come together and allow their respective strengths to complement each other. It should encourage more producers, studios and filmmakers to move beyond predictable partnerships and experiment with unexpected creative collaborations.
To conclude
A year later, Saiyaara’s legacy is not restricted to its Rs. 337.78-crore lifetime collection. It reminded the industry that Gen Z audiences cannot be underestimated, newcomers can headline historic blockbusters, silence can sometimes generate more curiosity than relentless promotions and emotional conviction remains more powerful than any manufactured marketing campaign. The film is significant as it gave us two potential stars and, more importantly, it forced Bollywood to reconsider several of its most deeply entrenched rules.
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