&w=3840&q=100)
Saiyaara: Not Ahaan Panday-Aneet Padda, Sidharth Malhotra-Kiara Advani were the first choice; here's what went wrong
Saiyaara, featuring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, shattered several records at the box office. The romantic musical drama became the first movie to cross the Rs 300 crore mark, which is headlined by newcomers.
While the first two weeks, Saiyaara trended phenomenally well at the ticket windows, it was impacted by \_Mahavatar Narsimha\_, which gained momentum from strength to strength on every passing day at the box office.
Yesterday, Saiyaara recorded its lowest day since release as it earned around Rs 2.75 crore and now stands with a total collection of Rs 308.25 crore.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
But now as per multiple reports, it is being said that not Ahaan and Aneet, but Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani were the makers' first choices but things didn't materialize. It's said the Shershaah actor's look test didn't really go as smooth as expected and the director Mohit Suri put his point forward.
With the global collections of Rs 486 crore, Saiyaara has crossed Hrithik Roshan-Tiger Shroff's War (Rs 475.62), the film is expected to surpass its domestic collections (Rs 318.01 crore) by the end of its 4th weekend.
Not only fans and audiences, Saiyaara garnered praise from celebs like Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, Aamir Khan, Mahesh Babu, Arjun Kapoor, Ameesha Patel, Siddharth Anand, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Karan Johar, Anurag Basu and Anil Kapoor, among others, for its storyline, direction and performances.
Before the release of the movie, director Mohit Suri spoke about Saiyaara's comparison with Aashiqui 2 in an interview with Firstpost. He said, 'When I made Zeher, they said it looked like Murder. When I made Ek Villain, they said it looked like Murder 2. When I made Malang, they said it looked like Ek Villain. When I made Aashiqui 2, they said it looked like Woh Lame and Rockstar. So I think when I go ahead and make my next film, they'll say it looks like Saiyaara. I think when they're comparing it to my own work rather than somebody else's, it's good.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
Anupam Kher breaks silence on Saiyaara dominating Tanvi The Great at box office: 'Agar paisa hi sab kuch hota...'
Comparisons and competition are unavoidable when two movies are released at roughly the same time. That's precisely what happened when Mohit Suri 's elegant romantic drama Saiyaara and Anupam Kher 's touching drama Tanvi The Great opened in theaters on the same day. Tanvi The Great failed to achieve the same level of commercial success as the latter, which dominated the box office with over Rs 500 crore and captured the hearts of the public with its music and youthful star cast. However, it isn't keeping Anupam Kher up at night. He believes that movies are about feelings rather than profits. When asked if he believes the Saiyaara craze is to blame for his film's poor performance, the veteran actor responded, "I don't believe that's true," in an interview with News18. 'A few years down the line, when someone will ask you what are your five favorite films are, you won't name the ones based on which of these movies made a business worth crores." The actor continued, "You'll name the ones which touched your hearts." 'Maybe Tanvi the Great didn't mint much money, but it is still priceless. I recently met a lady outside the theater who hugged me tightly and started crying, saying this was the best film she has ever watched," Kher added. Kher's remarks provided a much-needed break in a society that is fixated on numbers. 'You don't value everything based only on money. Agar paisa hi sab kuch hota, to phir log hamesha five-star hotel me hi khate na, dhaba koi kyu jata?" He revealed that he firmly supports his film in spite of the poor collections. 'My film is outstanding commercially," he stated. Tanvi The Great is subtly capturing hearts, while Saiyaara continues to rule the screen thanks to its box office power and Gen-Z appeal. Anupam Kher is the film's producer and director. He co-stars with Iain Glen. On July 18, 2025, Tanvi the Great was released in theaters.


News18
an hour ago
- News18
Saiyaara Actor Varun Badola Takes Dig At Film's PR Team: 'They Went Overboard With IV Drips'
Saiyaara star Varun Badola reacts to viral theatre frenzy, saying PR team went overboard with IV drip stunts and bangles-breaking antics. Calls success real. Ahaan Panday's debut film Saiyaara may be breaking box office records, but not everyone is on board with how the film has been promoted. Veteran actor Varun Badola, who played Ahaan's father in the romantic drama, has taken a subtle yet scathing dig at the film's PR machinery. The Mohit Suri directorial, also starring Aneet Padda, has now crossed the Rs 500 crore mark globally, with over Rs 300 crore earned in India alone. While its box office run has been historic, Saiyaara also went viral for dramatic audience reactions — fans fainting, crying uncontrollably, tearing their shirts, and even showing up to theatres hooked to IV drips. While producer Akshaye Widhani and director Suri have maintained that the reactions were organic and not planted, Varun Badola offered a more grounded take in an interview with Screen. 'When we were working on the film, we hadn't thought it would get so big… But on the third day of the release, when the film blew up at the box office, we realized it had gone big. I still haven't watched Saiyaara," he revealed. Commenting on the viral videos, Badola didn't hold back: 'By the third or fourth day, the film was being talked about. I saw the euphoria on Instagram. Log jo chudiyaan tod rahe hai, chaatiyaan peet rahe hai (People were breaking bangles and beating their chests). I think the promotions team went a little overboard… putting IV drips. Those people must have been told to give content. Thank god, people didn't get their legs broken and go crawling to see the film." Despite his candid remarks, Badola acknowledged the film's real impact. 'It's okay. We understand promoting the film, but it's good only up to a certain level. However, the film cannot earn so much money just based on Instagram promotions. People have gone and seen the film, and they have loved it," he concluded. With Saiyaara continuing its golden run, Ahaan Panday has officially arrived in Bollywood. Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Actor Vijay Deverakonda appears before Enforcement Directorate sleuths, claims he promoted gaming platform, not betting app
Hyderabad: Actor Vijay Deverakonda on Wednesday claimed that the app (application) he endorsed is not a betting one, but a gaming app, which is a legal and skill-based platform. Speaking to the media after appearing before Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in connection with the ongoing investigation into the illegal betting app case, Vijay Deverakonda said: 'I endorsed a gaming app, A23. There is no link with the betting app. Gaming apps are completely legal and recognised by govt agencies and are licensed. These entities pay GST and TDS.' ED officials, who found that he received Rs 4 crore from the apps, questioned him about the remuneration he received for promoting the platform. The questioning of the actor is part of a broader probe involving several celebrities who endorsed the app, which is under the scanner for money laundering and illegal operations. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad ED is now examining whether the app is legal or not. If found illegal, action might be initiated against the actor. ED had registered a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case based on the predicate offence booked by the Telangana police. 'Various statements by govts have recognised these gaming apps. A23 is a gaming app similarly recognised. If you search Google for top gaming apps, you will get results like A23, My11Circle, NPL and so on. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Emergency Generators in Montevideo: (Prices May Surprise You) Emergency Generator | Search Ads Search Now Undo These are registered gaming apps. They sponsor the Indian cricket team and the Olympic team. They are also official sponsors for the women's cricket team. They sponsor the kabaddi league and the volleyball league. They are completely legal entities. If someone is sponsoring the Olympic team, they must be legally authorised. Agencies and media should distinguish between gaming apps and betting apps,' he added. 'ED has called me without knowing about it. I have clarified. I have given them all the financial documents, transactions and account details they asked for. These apps are geo-locked. In Telangana, A23 is geo-locked and it won't open. Certain state govts allow it, while others won't allow it. ED has asked me about contract details also — I furnished them. They were satisfied,' he said. 'If there is anything further, I will let you know,' he said, adding 'whether it is right or wrong, the Supreme Court or the state govt will decide.' Meanwhile, actors Daggubati Rana and Manchu Lakshmi are scheduled to appear before ED in connection with the case next week. Skill-based gaming apps involve games where skill predominates, like fantasy sports. Indian courts, including those in Bombay and Punjab & Haryana, have ruled that such games do not constitute gambling under law. Betting and gambling apps, on the other hand, rely on chance-based wagering and fall under state gambling laws, which often prohibit them. In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, there is a ban on all real-money online gaming, including skill games. Despite the ban, consumer surveys report 96% awareness of illegality, yet continued participation via offshore apps, VPNs, and proxy platforms, raising concerns about enforcement and public risk.