The romance genre is primed for a comeback in Bollywood, and director Mohit Suri believes his upcoming film “Saiyaara” could be the catalyst.
The anticipated Hindi-language romantic drama marks the first collaboration between Yash Raj Films (YRF) and Suri.
“Romance as a genre is waiting to deliver and it should happen with ‘Saiyaara,’” says Suri, who celebrates his 20th year in cinema with the project. The film has already generated significant buzz with its teaser and hit songs.
“Saiyaara” launches Ahaan Panday as a YRF hero, with the studio handpicking Aneet Padda – who captured hearts with her acclaimed performance in “Big Girls Don’t Cry”- as their next leading lady.
For Suri, whose romantic filmography includes “Aashiqui 2,” “Awarapan,” and “Hamari Adhuri Kahani,” the project represents a return to his roots. “For me, romance is a genre that I love the most maybe because I have always been fascinated by people and their love stories,” the director explains. “Everybody’s love story is so different and unique and heartwarming and gut-wrenching that you can feel so many emotions, root for people and believe that love can be the solution to everything, it can be the great healer.”
What sets “Saiyaara” apart, according to Suri, is its exploration of intense young love. “Saiyaara is an exploration of an intense love story that one can experience at a very young age. That’s what makes it fresh for me,” he notes. “People underestimate young people to have deep emotions and experience life changing relationships. I love how young minds function, how they feel and how they process love to be.”
“‘Saiyaara’ is my journey into the hearts and souls of these beautiful young boys and girls and show everyone the level of commitment, the depth of love that they are able to operate on,” he adds.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh is bullish about the film’s commercial prospects, seeing it as potentially addressing a crucial industry need. “Everyone is hoping ‘Saiyaara’ works because it is high time that we have bankable fresh faces on the industry who producers can mount their youthful films on,” Adarsh observes. “There has been a serious dearth of this and we hope ‘Saiyaara’ fixes that problem for the industry.”
Adarsh also points to the timing being right for a romantic revival. “It’s been a while since a good romantic film has come our way. So, if ‘Saiyaara’ delivers on this front, we will surely have a winner at hand,” he explains. “But after a while, there is very palpable buzz around a romantic film and that too a debutant romantic film which is a theatrical and it is very encouraging indeed.”
The collaboration brings together two entities with proven romantic pedigrees. YRF, in its 50-year history, has delivered cult romantic films primarily directed by Yash Chopra and Aditya Chopra, while Suri has established himself as a contemporary master of the genre.
For Suri, the project holds special significance beyond its commercial potential. “‘Saiyaara’ is one such story and it is extremely special to me because I feel flawed, imperfect people make for perfect love stories,” he reflects, suggesting audiences can expect the kind of emotionally complex characters that have become his trademark.
Produced by YRF CEO Akshaye Widhani, “Saiyaara” is set for a worldwide theatrical release on July 18.
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