Saiyaara Sets Box Office Records: Ahaan Pandey Shines

New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) Mohit Suri's romantic drama "Saiyaara" has set new benchmarks at the box office by grossing an impressive Rs 119 crore globally over its opening weekend. The film, starring debutant Ahaan Pandey alongside noted actor Aneet Padda, achieved the record for the highest opening for a romantic film ever. Suri, who is known for hits like "Ek Villain" and "Aashiqui 2," brings to life a compelling narrative produced under the Yash Raj Films banner.

Ahaan Pandey, making his film debut, has shined brightly, while Aneet Padda, previously acclaimed for roles in "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Salaam Venky" alongside Kajol, delivers an applauded performance. In India alone, "Saiyaara" earned Rs 101.75 crore (gross) and Rs 84 crore (nett), with an additional Rs 17.25 crore from overseas markets.

The film's stellar performance marked the highest worldwide opening weekend for a debutant-led film, surpassing debut projects of other star kids, such as Alia Bhatt's "Student of the Year" and Jahnvi Kapoor with Ishaan Khattar in "Dhadak," which collected Rs 70 crore and Rs 73 crore in their entire run, respectively.

"Saiyaara" follows the passionate journey of Krish (Pandey), an ambitious musician, and Vaani (Padda), a heartbroken lyricist, whose budding relationship is woven through deep songwriting sessions and emotional adventures, as per the film's official description. The opening day saw collections of Rs 22 crore, followed by Rs 26.25 crore on the second day, and an impressive Rs 35.75 crore on the third day. At an international level, the film brought in Rs 17.25 crore.

This marks the highest opening for a Mohit Suri directorial, surpassing the first-day earnings of "Ek Villain" (Rs 16 crore), "Aashiqui 2" (over Rs 6 crore), and "Murder 2" (almost Rs 7 crore). "Saiyaara" stands unique as the only romance film to cross the Rs 100 crore mark in its opening weekend.

Among other top-grossing films this opening weekend, it stands alongside Vicky Kaushal's "Chhava" (Rs 122.43 crore), Salman Khan's "Sikandar" (Rs 90.25 crore), and Akshay Kumar's comedic ensemble "Housefull 5" (Rs 91.83 crore).

In efforts to keep the film accessible to younger audiences, Yash Raj Films has requested exhibitors not to increase ticket prices. They also chose a unique promotional strategy where Pandey and Padda did not partake in typical film promotions.

The soundtrack of "Saiyaara," featuring seven chart-topping songs composed by Mithoon, Sachet-Parampara, Tanishk Bagchi, Rishabh Kant, Vishal Mishra, Faheem Abdullah, and Arslan Nisami, has already gained widespread popularity.

In addition to the lead actors, the film features performances from Geeta Agarwal, Rajesh Kumar, Varun Badola, and Shaad Randhawa in key roles.

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