A few days before the trailer of Saiyaara dropped online, director Mohit Suri sat down for an honest conversation with Bollywood Hungama, reflecting on the unlikely and deeply personal journey of making a film that would eventually become the launchpad for debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. What started as a passion project with no producer and no guaranteed future eventually found its home at Yash Raj Films—thanks to a script born from Suri’s yearning for emotional storytelling amid a wave of big-budget spectacles.
EXCLUSIVE: Mohit Suri recalls being told a film like Saiyaara wouldn’t work, credits his instincts for casting “non-profitable” stars in the past; says, “Studios look for stars, but this film was written for 24–25-year-olds”
“Post-COVID, I had finished a film. I’d done a thriller which hadn’t done so well—Ek Villain 2,” Suri recalled. “At that time, a massive action film had just been released, full of explosions, tanks, and CGI. Despite all the scale, something felt missing. I asked myself, ‘What more can a filmmaker do?’”
Suri’s introspection took a creative turn after watching The Romantics, the Netflix docu-series on the legacy of Yash Raj Films. “That’s it. I’m going to write a love story,” he said. With no producer onboard, Suri teamed up with his assistant Sankalp Sadhana to start writing. “Luv Ranjan also really pushed me to write a young love story. He had worked with me in Malang and believed I could bring a special touch to it.”
Even with industry skepticism—senior filmmakers reportedly told him it would never get made—Suri remained steadfast. “We put in our own money, and did it with no producer, no future, and no assurance if the film would ever see the light of day.”
A chance meeting with Sumanna Ghosh changed the course of events. Ghosh told Suri that Aditya Chopra was looking for a love story. That led to a meeting with YRF CEO Akshaye Widhani, where the unexpected happened: they loved the script and asked if Suri would be open to casting newcomers.
“I asked, ‘So who’s going to watch it then?’ And they said, ‘We’re going to make it,’” he recalled. “Usually, studios look for a star-studded cast, but this film was written for 24–25-year-olds. I couldn’t cheat the age.”
Suri credits his best work to casting that fits the soul of the story. “Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain, Malang—none of those had conventional casting choices. But I followed my instinct. And whenever I’ve done that, it’s helped the film. Casting older actors to play first love stories just doesn’t feel honest. Saiyaara had to feel real.”
Saiyaara, a romantic drama set to release under the YRF banner, is now one of the most anticipated debut films of 2025.
Also Read: Sandeep Reddy Vanga praises Saiyaara trailer; Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda react
More Pages: Saiyaara Box Office Collection
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