Saiyaara (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – Two artistic souls find harmony through music despite their contrasting worlds. As feelings deepen, age and circumstances challenge their undeniable bond.

My Take – Since the dawn of Hindi cinema, tragic love stories have always been celebrates by the masses, who simply connect with yearnings of a young couple and the hardships they are forced to endure. And pair them with soulful soundtrack and a set of newcomers, we have in hand a recipe of grand success. Such is also the case of this latest Yash Raj Films backed feature, after all no does heartbreak better than director Mohit Suri (Aashiqui 2).

Sure, this one too is laced by the signature components which define “a Mohit Suri film”, from its reckless hero and fragile heroine to heartfelt emotions, melodrama and tragedy, the narrative does not break new ground in terms of storytelling, yet there’s a certain freshness to its treatment, and paired with lush music and style, it just strikes the right chords.

Making it a film that understands its audience (a rarity nowadays) and delivers with right amount of sincerity. It offers just enough to make you feel, and that, sometimes, is more than enough.

What keeps the film particularly afloat is how its two new faces, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, submit to director Suri‘s vision of a traditional Hindi musical despite the imperfection of the narrative.

Undeniably, there is promise in the act and a steely determination to prove their mettle. Yes, the film does feel like an organic fit into the Aashiqui franchise. But perhaps it’s for the best that it didn’t carry that name as it gives this one the right space to shine on its own.

The story follows Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda), a simple, sweet, 22-year-old with a talent for writing. However, since the past six months Vaani has found herself in a black hole following her heart break, when her fiancée and college sweetheart, Mahesh (Shaan Groverr), left her at the altar to pursue a better career opportunity.

But all that changes when she runs into Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday), a brooding, weed-smoking and tattooed struggling singer, who enters her newly appointed workplace, and then pummels a reviewer for focusing all the credit of his band on just one of his band mates, just to curry favor with his established father.

And when the two are paired by a music company to work together, despite their contrasting natures, sparks fly. As the two find solace in each other amid their personal struggles, that is until a tragedy comes knocking, forcing the two to test their love and emotional strength.

At its core the film is what we call: ‘a true-blue, young, traditional Bollywood romance’. The sorts that have launched careers. The love story isn’t tidy, but it’s built on creative collaboration, heartbreak, and redemption.

Written by Sankalp Sadanah and Rohan Shankar, the film’s emotional power comes through its storytelling-cinematic but grounded. Though Krish’s explosive energy is rooted in restless creativity, Vaani’s composure and lyrical depth bring an anchoring contrast.

Together their romance builds through songwriting sessions, confrontations, and silences. As a result, when the heartbreak comes, it resonates because it feels earned. Even when plot beats are expected, sincerity in execution gives them meaning. Seeing the characters grow through song felt honest, heavy, and healing. Even the songs aren’t just fillers, but instead help in carrying the narrative weight.

The soundtrack, credited to an army of composers: Faheem Abdullah, Tanishk Bagchi, John Steward Eduri, Rishabh Kant, Vishal Mishra, Arslan Nizami, Mithun Sharma, Sachet and Parampara, is one of the strongest aspects of the film. Each song resonating long after the film ends. Each enhancing the narrative and becoming a character in its own right.

It also helps that the leads performances are exceptional. Ahaan Panday makes a confident debut. He emotes well and his sincerity mainly showcases post interval when his outbursts are sanitized, allowing his character to become a lot more restrained.

Relative newcomer Aneet Padda gets the more complex part and pulls it off excellently. She not only looks great on screen, she carries herself with a sincerity that belies inexperience. The chemistry between the two feels authentic and magnetic, drawing you into their world with ease.

In supporting roles, Geeta Agrawal Sharma, Varun Badola, Rajesh Kumar and Alam Khan bring in heartfelt turns. On the whole, ‘Saiyaara‘ is a familiar but likable musical journey brought to life by its soulful soundtrack and its excellent leads.