Saiyaara Box Office Prediction: Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda’s Film Defies Expectations, Set to Break Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai and Dhadak Records

Mohit Suri is making a comeback to the romantic genre with his upcoming musical, Saiyaara. Produced by Yash Raj Films, the movie stars newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in lead roles and is shaping up to be one of the most promising releases of the year. The buzz around the film, reflected in its advance bookings, has surprised many in the industry.

Saiyaara is currently tracking for a strong double-digit opening, expected to earn over ₹10 crore net on its first day in India. With more than 12 hours still left for pre-sales, advance bookings have already crossed ₹2.6 crore. Conservative estimates predict an opening day collection between ₹10-12 crore, while some optimistic projections go as high as ₹15-20 crore. These numbers are remarkable for a romantic film led by newcomers—especially considering that even Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par managed just ₹11.5 crore on its opening day last month.

If Saiyaara hits the double-digit mark, it will set a new record for the highest opening day collection by a Hindi film featuring debutant leads. Currently, that record is held by Dhadak (2018), which starred Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter and earned ₹8.76 crore on its first day.

Even more impressively, if the ₹15-20 crore figure materializes, Saiyaara could break the opening day footfall record for a debutant-led film— a record that has stood for 25 years. Back in 2000, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, starring Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel, sold around 4 lakh tickets on its first day, with a collection of ₹51 lakh. No debut film has surpassed that since. So far, Saiyaara has sold about a lakh tickets in advance, and estimates suggest it could reach 4 to 6 lakh footfalls on day one, potentially setting a new Bollywood record.

Romantic films haven’t seen this level of success in Hindi cinema since the pandemic. The only recent romantic drama with a bigger opening is Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, which had the backing of Dharma Productions and stars like Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt. While Saiyaara benefits from YRF’s strong support, its leads are new faces, which makes the excitement even more surprising.

Senior trade analyst Atul Mohan commented, “There’s definitely hype. The trailer was good, and the title song has resonated with the audience. But the hype seems a bit unusual. Some places like Agra have houseful shows, while some theatres in Andheri haven’t sold any tickets yet. Hopefully, the excitement spreads everywhere. We all want more people to come to theatres.”

Industry insiders believe the buzz around Saiyaara is real but may have been slightly exaggerated by media coverage. “People love an underdog story, so the hype has been blown out of proportion. Still, the film is expected to open well. Exactly how well, we’ll only know on Friday,” said an exhibitor who wished to remain anonymous.

Many experts also highlight that Saiyaara is striking a chord especially with younger viewers, particularly those under 30, suggesting genuine enthusiasm among this demographic.

Directed by Mohit Suri and produced by YRF CEO Akshaye Widhani, Saiyaara is scheduled to hit theatres on 18 July.