Why is Saiyaara Gen Z's Aashiqui 2

India Today

23-07-2025

Why is Gen Z crying, obsessing, and heartbreak-posting about 'Saiyaara'? Why are videos of people exiting theatres teary-eyed and clutching their chests going viral? Remember the vivid video of a man watching the film while being on an IV drop? The answer might lie in a familiar feeling, one millennial knows all too well.Saiyaara is Gen Z's Aashiqui 2Because 'Saiyaara' is doing for Gen Z what 'Aashiqui 2' did for millennials over a decade ago. It's letting them feel. Really feel.advertisementIn a world of algorithmic love and blink-and-you-miss-it dating culture, 'Saiyaara' arrives with the emotional intensity of a handwritten letter. Directed by Mohit Suri, who also helmed 'Aashiqui 2', and backed by Yash Raj Films, the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda-starrer doesn't rewrite the romance playbook. Instead, it replays it with a fresh ache, aimed straight at a new generation's heart.
Much like 'Aashiqui 2' in 2013, 'Saiyaara' revels in grand declarations, lingering stares, and lyrics that bleed emotion. But what makes both films work across decades is how earnestly they believe in love. Not as a plot device, but as a life-altering force.From Rahul-Aarohi to Krish-Vaani: The Romantic BlueprintIn Aashiqui 2, Rahul [Aditya Roy Kapoor] and Aarohi [Shraddha Kapoor]'s love story was one of ambition, addiction, and slow destruction. Their love was epic, but tragic. Millennials cried for weeks. The soundtrack lived on in every breakup playlist. Fast forward to 2025, and Saiyaara is striking a similar nerve, with slightly shifted emotional coordinates.Krish and Vaani bond over loss, loneliness, and love—much like Rahul and Aarohi—but their story doesn't collapse under its own weight. While 'Aashiqui 2' wears its tragedy on its sleeve, 'Saiyaara' gives space for growth. It lets heartbreak exist without glorifying self-destruction. The pain is still there, but so is hope. This is a film that takes its young characters seriously. It doesn't mock their pain or treat their romance as fleeting puppy love. It dives deep into the genesis of romance, messy, hopeful, idealistic, without apologising for the intensity.It's 'Aashiqui 2', reimagined for a generation that cries in the comments but also goes to therapy.When Feeling Becomes a RebellionWhere Saiyaara stands apart, especially for Gen Z, is in its refusal to treat feelings with irony. This is a film that asks its viewers to surrender to melodrama, to believe in love without disclaimers.And Gen Z, for all their memes and nihilism, are showing up for it. Because beneath the cool detachment of reels and dating apps, this is a generation craving sincerity. Saiyaara gives them permission to cry unironically, to feel deeply without needing to explain why.One of Saiyaara's biggest emotional weapons is Ahaan Panday's portrayal of Krish Kapoor. He isn't a saviour, a superstar, or a stoic hero. He's emotional, messy, overwhelmed, a soft boy through and through. Much like Aditya Roy Kapur's Rahul, Krish wears his heart on his sleeve. But instead of spiralling, he chooses emotional responsibility. advertisementFor Gen Z boys rethinking masculinity, Krish might be a quiet revolution.Let's not underestimate the music. Remember how 'Tum Hi Ho' became the unofficial heartbreak anthem of 2013, Saiyaara's soundtrack is possibly having the same impact. It's already flooding playlists and stories. Each track is engineered for emotional recall—rainy days, late-night walks, unread messages. And when a generation finds their emotions reflected in lyrics, the connection becomes cultural.Is 'Saiyaara' perfect? No. The script has its bumps. Some arcs could be tighter. But it doesn't matter. Because what this film nails, like Aashiqui 2 before it, is emotional truth. That raw, aching, "I can't believe love hurts this much" truth.And in a time when most things feel curated, 'Saiyaara' feels unfiltered. That's why Gen Z is flocking to it, breaking down after watching it, and heartbreak-posting in real time.It doesn't just fill the gap left by 'Aashiqui 2'; it continues its legacy.And if 'Aashiqui 2' was the last good millennial heartbreak movie, then 'Saiyaara' might just be Gen Z's first.- EndsYou May Also Like