Saiyaara movie available on Cinema Collect
Saiyaara (2025) – A Heart Hum of Love, Loss, and Memory
When Saiyaara opened on 18 July 2025, directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Yash Raj Films, few expected a romantic musical drama with debutant leads to perform as strongly as this one has. But right from its first notes, the film hit a chord — its music, its youthful energy, its emotional core, and the brilliance of its leads, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, have combined to make Saiyaara far more than just another love story. Rotten Tomatoes+5Wikipedia+5The Times of India+5
What It’s About
At its heart, Saiyaara follows the relationship between Krish (Ahaan Panday), a talented singer-songwriter, and Vaani (Aneet Padda), a sensitive poet/lyricist. The two share chemistry through their art — lyrics, melody, poetry — and their bond grows out of this shared creative space. But the twist arrives when Vaani is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. What begins as hopeful love, brimming with promise, begins journeying into heartbreaking challenges: memory loss, identity, and what it means to hold on to someone when time threatens to erase shared moments. Mohit Suri borrows loosely from the Korean film A Moment to Remember, adapting the emotional stakes for Hindi/Indian audiences. Wikipedia+1
What Works
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Emotional Core
The movie is strongest when it leans into its vulnerability. The scenes showing Vaani’s memory lapses, Krish’s confusion and heartbreak, and the way their lives shift are handled with a sensitivity that avoids becoming melodramatic (for the most part). The audience feels the pain, the longing, the grief in a way that lingers. Many reviewers praised this. Rotten Tomatoes+2Reddit+2 -
Performances of the Leads
For newcomers, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda deliver more than what many expected. Their chemistry is believable, even if both are still growing into their roles. Vaani’s vulnerability, Krish’s frustration and determination — there are moments where they make you care. Critics and audiences alike have noted how they carry much of the film. Wikipedia+2Reddit+2 -
Music & Soundtrack
As in many of Suri’s films, the music is a pillar here. The songs feel earned, the lyrics poetic, and they interweave with the story rather than just being “breaks.” Even people who don’t often listen to Bollywood soundtracks seem to be humming Saiyaara songs. This helped drive both pre-release buzz and sustained interest. Reddit+3Wikipedia+3The Times of India+3 -
Box Office & Pop Culture Impact
Saiyaara has been a phenomenon. Without big‐name superstars, it crossed huge numbers — within India and overseas. It has overtaken several major star-led films in box-office collections. It became one of 2025’s highest-grossing Hindi films, especially noteworthy because the leads are newcomers. Word of mouth has kept its momentum strong. Wikipedia+4The Times of India+4The Tribune+4
What Doesn’t Always Land
Despite all its strengths, Saiyaara isn’t flawless. There are a few recurring points where it might lose some viewers.
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Familiar Tropes & Predictability
Once the Alzheimer’s plot is introduced, some of the turns feel predictable. The themes of memory loss, identity erasure, devoted love, tearful hospitals, etc., tread on well-trodden paths. If you’ve seen this kind of romance-with-illness movie before, parts of Saiyaara might feel reminiscent, perhaps too reminiscent. Rotten Tomatoes+2Reddit+2 -
Length & Pacing
At around 156 minutes, the film is long. Some parts drag, especially in the second half, when the focus shifts toward decline of memory and relational breakdown. There are moments when the emotional weight is heavy, perhaps too heavy, and the narrative could have benefitted from tighter editing. Wikipedia+2Common Sense Media+2 -
Supporting Characters & Backstories
The strength is very much with Krish and Vaani, but side characters are less fleshed out. Some scenes with Vaani’s family or Krish’s musician world feel more like background than integral to the emotional stakes. Because the film invests so heavily in the leads, the imbalance can sometimes feel glaring. Reddit - Cinema Collect Saiyaara. Watch more movie from here
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Tonality: Melodrama vs. Realism
While many scenes are touching, a few lean toward Bollywood melodrama — big emotional breakdowns, tear-soaked confrontations, sweeping music cues. For viewers who prefer subtle portrayals, these moments may feel overdone. It’s a trade-off: melodrama is part of the film’s appeal to many, but it reduces realism in places. Rotten Tomatoes+1
Why Saiyaara Matters
What Saiyaara really shows is that romance as a genre still has power in Bollywood, especially when done with heart, good music, and new faces who bring freshness. In a year with many big budget films and star vehicles, Saiyaara is a reminder that audiences can still connect strongly to emotional stories, especially those that don’t feel cynical. It also gives hope for more films that cast newcomers, that take risks with sensitive themes (Alzheimer’s isn’t light material), and yet manage to do so commercially well.
Verdict
If I were to sum up: Saiyaara isn’t perfect, but in its intentions and many executions, it soars. It makes you cry, makes you remember, and makes you believe that love isn’t always about grand gestures; sometimes it’s just holding someone, even when they can’t hold memories. For fans of romantic dramas, of soulful music, or even just someone who’s had their heart broken before, this film delivers. It’s a winsome, emotional ride — sometimes heavy, sometimes familiar, but often beautiful.
I’d rate it around 3.5 / 5 — for its emotional honesty, its music, and its heart; with room to grow in pacing and originality.
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