Mohit Suri’s latest romantic drama Saiyaara has opened to an exceptional response at the box office. Released today, the film has collected a massive ₹20.50 crore by 11:30 PM, according to early estimates by industry tracker Sacnilk. This marks the biggest opening day in Suri’s career, surpassing the first-day figures of his previous hits like Murder 2 (₹6.95 crore), Aashiqui 2 (₹6.10 crore), Half Girlfriend (₹10.30 crore), and even Ek Villain (₹16 crore).
Debutants Shine on Day One
Saiyaara marks the much-anticipated debut of Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. Despite being newcomers with no prior public visibility, the lead pair has struck gold at the box office, thanks to a unique promotional strategy by Yash Raj Films. The film recorded a strong nationwide occupancy of 41.07% across 3,523 shows, with Mumbai and Delhi-NCR accounting for a significant chunk of screenings.
Praise for Unconventional Promotion Strategy
The film’s unconventional decision to keep the debutants away from pre-release media and public appearances has been praised by industry veterans. Director Sanjay Gupta noted, “They kept alive the freshness exclusively for the big screen. And look at how it’s worked.” Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar also lauded the film’s impact, stating on X, “Saiyaara has shattered every myth about launching newcomers… It’s not about who you know. It’s about what you bring.”
Also Read: Saiyaara’s Powerful Dialogues: Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda’s Love Story Will Touch Your Heart
A Comeback for Mohit Suri?
With Saiyaara opening strong, Mohit Suri could finally be looking at a long-overdue comeback. His last major hit, Ek Villain (2014), grossed ₹155 crore worldwide. If positive word-of-mouth continues, Saiyaara may become one of the biggest surprise blockbusters of the year.
