Saiyaara creates box office history: Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda starrer scores biggest opening weekend for Bollywood debutants
A film led by two completely new faces -
Ahaan Panday
and
Aneet Padda
- has emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters of 2025. To add to the significance, the film is now the biggest Bollywood hit ever to feature two debutant leads.
Released on July 18, 2025, 'Saiyaara' announced its arrival into the mainstream cinema with a staggering Rs 21 crore opening day collection. Interestingly, this opening day collection was a badge of merit that even superstars struggled to reach post-pandemic.
In doing so, it proved to be one of the most audacious gambles in Bollywood that turned out to be rewarding.
Rarity of Dual Debuts
In Hindi cinema, having two debutants taking on leading roles in a film is a risky bet. It is only in rare situations that films featuring new faces have turned out to be successful. Some of these rare hits include
Hrithik Roshan
and Ameesha Patel's 'Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai' which scored an impressive lifetime collection of Rs 44.28 crore. The next big hit came from
Alia Bhatt
, Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra with their teen romance drama 'Student of the Year' which earned Rs 70 crore.
Even the Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter starrer 'Dhadak' paid off handsomely, finishing its run just under the Rs 100 crore net mark.
In contrast, recent releases featuring newcomers, like 'Mirzya' and 'Malaal', wound up their run with collections of Rs 7.92 crore and Rs 2.8 crore, respectively.
However, 'Saiyaara', on the other hand, has seemingly rewritten the playbook entirely by outgrossing these classics within its mammoth Rs 83 crore opening weekend.
Number Game
From the very first show, Saiyaara was on fire:
Day 1
Rs 21 Crore
Day 2
Rs 25 Crore
Day 3
Rs 37 Crore
Weekend Total
Rs 83 crore India Net
This haul didn't just make headlines, it crushed long-standing box office records. 'Saiyaara' not only raised the benchmark for box office collections for a film starring debutantes, it also outperformed director
Mohit Suri
's previous opening records of his previous films like 'Ek Villain' which earned Rs 105.76 crore (lifetime total), 'Aashiqui 2' which earned Rs 78 crore (lifetime total).
The film has now positioned itself among the top 10 highest opening weekends of 2025:
'Chhaava'
– Rs 601 crore
'
Housefull 5'
– Rs 183 crore
'Raid 2'
– Rs 173 crore
'Sitaare Zameen Par'
- Rs 163 crore
'Sky Force'
- Rs 112 crore
'Sikandar'
– Rs 110 crore
'Kesari Chapter 2'
- Rs 92 crore
'Jaat'
- Rs 88 crore
'Saiyaara'
– Rs 83 crore
For a film starring two actors making their first on-screen appearance, these numbers are unprecedented.
The Winning Formula
So, what worked? Why did 'Saiyaara' succeed where other dual-debut films failed?
Director Mohit Suri credits the film's authenticity and emotional truth. In interviews, he's spoken candidly about his desire to push past the rose-tinted portrayal of romance in Bollywood, 'In love, there will be pain… If love is not real, it's not felt. I believe in it more than I fantasise about it,' he told PTI.
Suri's distinct voice, previously seen in emotionally resonant films like Aashiqui 2 and Malang, shines in Saiyaara.
His co-writing effort with Sankalp Sadanah crafted a screenplay rooted in vulnerability, memory loss, and the emotional turbulence of youth, all set against a backdrop of stirring music. And the audience responded.
In classic Suri fashion, music wasn't just a soundtrack, it stepped up as a supporting act. Songs like "Saiyaara (Reprise)" and "Tum Rehte Ho" became instant chartbusters, flooding social media reels and playlists.
Audiences danced, cried, and celebrated in theatres as seen in viral videos from packed theatres.
Stars Are Born
While the film's story pulled heartstrings, the raw, sincere performances of its leads saw several stars take to social media to share words of praise for the new talents. Ahaan, with his earnest portrayal of Krish, an aspiring musician, and Aneet, playing Vaani a writer grappling with early-onset Alzheimer's, had actress-producer Alia Bhatt gushing on Instagram,
'It's safe to say… two beautiful, magical STARS are born. I don't remember the last time I looked at two actors with such awe… What a film. What feeling. What music!'
Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu echoed the sentiment in a post that read, 'Take a bow Saiyaara team… Honest storytelling, standout performances and top-notch execution.'
Actor Harshvardhan Rane summarised it best saying, 'Another melodious example of a love story shattering all myths and formulas of the industry.'
The Debutant's Club
When it comes to Bollywood films featuring debutant leads, Saiyaara has set a new benchmark. Starring newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, the romantic drama stormed the Indian box office with a staggering Rs 83 crore opening weekend collection — the highest ever for a film launching two fresh faces.
Here's how Saiyaara compares to previous Bollywood dual-debut films (India Net collections):
'Saiyaara'
(2025) – Ahaan Panday & Aneet Padda – Rs 83 crore (weekend)
'Malaal'
(2019) – Meezaan Jaaferi & Sharmin Segal – Rs 2.8 crore
'Dhadak'
(2018) – Janhvi Kapoor & Ishaan Khatter – Rs 74.19 crore
'Mirzya'
(2016) – Harshvardhan Kapoor & Saiyami Kher – Rs 7.92 crore
'Hero'
(2015) – Sooraj Pancholi & Athiya Shetty – Rs 31 crore
'Student of the Year'
(2012) – Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan & Sidharth Malhotra – Rs 70 crore
'Ishaqzaade'
(2012) – Arjun Kapoor & Parineeti Chopra – Rs 47 crore
'Heropanti'
(2014) – Tiger Shroff & Kriti Sanon – Rs 52.70 crore
'Saawariya'
(2007) – Ranbir Kapoor & Sonam Kapoor – Rs 20.92 crore
'Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai'
(2000) – Hrithik Roshan & Ameesha Patel – Rs 44.28 crore
Not only did Saiyaara claim the top spot, it did so in record time, making it the most successful dual-debut in Bollywood history to date.
More than just a weekend wonder, 'Saiyaara' is shaping up to be a defining debut film in modern Bollywood history. Whether it's the vulnerability of a director's story, or two young actors giving it their all this success story has changed the game for Bollywood, and we're all here for it.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
18 minutes ago
- India.com
Son of Sardaar 2 Movie Review : A big-hearted, high-energy entertainer
The Sardaar is back and he is unstoppable. Ajay Devgn is back as Jassi, and this time around is even swaggier than last time. Helmed by Vijay Kumar Arora, this ultimate joy-ride is packed with amazing performance, exotic locales, stellar ensemble, and outsntaing music, an ultimate high-energy enterainer of the year! Ajay Devgn as Jassi, has plans to visit his wife Dimple (Neeru Bawaj) in London. He is excited and full of hopes, as he jets off for a reunion, but his trip doesn't go as planned. Dimple has found love in someone else, she has a boyfriend, and she wants Jassi to move out and she wants a divorcee, and with that she kicks Jassi out of her house. Out of luck and without a roof over his head, Jassi's life takes an unexpected turn when he meets Rabia (Mrunal Thakur), a spirited Pakistani career-woman who runs a company of wedding dancers. The duo strike a connection and Rabia offers Jassi help. Now what starts off as an accidental encounter quickly turns into an unexpected adventure ride, when Rabia ropes Jassi into a plan, with all the good intentions, but it spirals out of control pretty soon. Rabia's colleague Danish (Chunky Panday) daughter Saba (Roshni Walia) is in love with Goggi (Sahil Mehta), the son of the Raja Sandhu (Ravi Kishan), an ultra-traditional man, and he wants a traditional Indian wife for his son. Now entire team of Rabia hails from Pakistani, only member around her is Jassi, who is an Indian. Rabia comes up with a plan only commercial Hindi cinema could pull off, she convinces Jassi to pretend that he is Saba's Indian father, an ex-army officer with traditional values, to impress Raja Sandhu and his family. What follows is a delightful mess of mistaken identities, hilarious misunderstandings, and a wild web of lies that somehow manages to stay heartwarming throughout and keeps on getting complicated and funny. Ajay Devgn as Jassi, steals the show. He is the Sardaar we all need in our lives. He is the heart and soul of SOS 2. His comedy timing is pitch perfect, especially during the scenes where his lies are about to get exposed but he maintain a straight face through the madness. The is the first ever commercial film for Mrunal Thakur, and she manages to ace it. She manages to blend warmth, and strength without going overboard with loud emotions. A special shoutout of Deepak Dobriyal, who played the role of Gul, a transgender. It would be difficult to picture him as anything else after SOS 2. Bhojpuri superstar Ravi Kishan along with Sharat Saxena, Sanjay Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekar, Mukul Dev, Vindu Dara Singh, Dolly Ahluwalia, Kubbra Sait, Chunky Panday, Roshni Walia, and Sahil Mehta, the makers have managed to give space to every character, which is a difficult task for a commercial family drama. Every character in the movie feels needed, and offers something incredibly unique and hilarious. Music Album, is outstanding. The film is packed with soulful and foot-tapping numbers. Songs such as Pehla Tu Duja Tu, Nazar Battu, and Nachdi, captures the spirit of the film perfectly. The film is a treat visually. The story travels from India to London and Scotland, every country is captured beautifully. Produced by Devgn Films and Jio Studios, the film understand its audience and delivers accordingly. If you're in the mood for a feel-good film that will make you laugh, Son of Sardaar 2 is exactly the movie to watch! Director – Vijay Kumar Arora Cast – Ajay Devgn, Ravi Kishan, Mrunal Thakur, Deepak Dobriyal, Kubbra Sait, Chunky Panday, Sharat Saxena, Mukul Dev, Vindu Dara Singh, Roshni Walia, Sanjay Mishra, Ashwini Kalsekar, Sahil Mehta, Dolly Ahluwalia, Neeru Bajwa, Rating – 4
Indian Express
18 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Yuzvendra Chahal admits he was ‘faking' relationship with ex-wife Dhanashree Verma at the end, explains ‘sugar daddy' message: ‘Mahvash helped me during this phase'
Cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and YouTuber-actor Dhanashree Verma ended their five year marriage earlier this year, and now, Chahal has opened up about the reasons behind his divorce in a new interview. He shared that he and Dhanashree had been facing problems for a couple of years but continued to present themselves as a couple until they knew the future of their relationship. He also shared that after his divorce, he went through a rather difficult time, and faced anxiety attacks and had suicidal thoughts. In a chat with Raj Shamani on his YouTube channel, Chahal was asked what went wrong in his relationship, and he shared, 'It had been going on for a while but we decided that we don't want to show the world what's happening until something gets finalised.' He shared that since he was playing for the national team and Dhanashree was also busy with her career, they couldn't give each other enough time, which became one of the main reasons for the rift in their marriage. When asked if they were faking their relationship towards the end, Chahal nodded in agreement. He said that while they were going through the rough patch, he took a month-long break from cricket because he felt like he was not able to focus. 'I asked for a break from Vijay Hazare Trophy because I was not able to use my mind. Cricket gave me happiness, and continues to make me happy and if I am not able to do that, then something is wrong so I took a month long break,' he said. ALSO READ | Meena Kumari was thrown out of the house she bought by her father, paid him Rs 2 lakh to get married; was treated as a 'meal ticket' by her family He shared that during this phase, people started labeling him a cheater. 'And I have never cheated in my life. I am not that person. You will never find anyone as loyal as me,' he said, and added that since everyone around him knew the truth, he did not feel the need to prove it to the world. He shared that when people saw him visibly relaxed after his divorce, they suspected that he was happy with his divorce, and wondered why he wasn't crying or sharing sad notes on social media. 'For a few months, I was depressed. I got anxiety attacks but only my close ones know about that. I used to have suicidal thoughts because my mind had stopped working,' he said, and added that his friends, including rumoured girlfriend RJ Mahvash helped him out through that phase. 'My family, Mahvash helped me during this phase.' He said that he wanted to finalise his divorce proceedings before the IPL season started. And when he wore the T-shirt 'Be your own sugar daddy', he wanted to send a message. 'I just felt like I wanted to give one message and I did that,' he said and added, 'Because something had happened from the other end… I didn't want to do it earlier but then something happened and I decided, now everyone can go to hell, I will do what I want.' Yuzvendra and Dhanashree filed for divorce in February 2024 and during the divorce proceedings earlier this year, it was reported that she recieved Rs 4.75 crore in alimony.
News18
26 minutes ago
- News18
Son of Sardaar 2 Advance Booking: Ajay Devgn's Film Eyes A Blockbuster Opening
Last Updated: Serving as a sequel to the 2012 hit comedy film Son Of Sardaar, the Ajay Devgn film has reportedly received lower-than-expected advance bookings. Son of Sardaar 2 has finally hit theaters and it is expected to face stiff competition from Dhadak 2 at the box office. Serving as a sequel to the 2012 hit comedy film Son Of Sardaar, the Ajay Devgn film has reportedly received lower-than-expected advance bookings. The multi-starrer, including Mrunal Thakur, Ravi Kishan, Kubbra Sait and others promises to be a laughter riot with the essence of chaos similar to its predecessor. As per a Pinkvilla report, Son Of Sardaar 2 sold around 27,000 tickets on its first day in the top three national chains (PVR Inox and Cinepolis). The film is experiencing low-key pre-sales. Moreover, the film will be released in 2500 to 3000 screens in India, which is a strategic move given the box office competition with Dhadak 2 and previous releases Saiyaara and Mahavatar Narsimha. Despite being a sequel to a successful film, Son Of Sardaar 2 is expected to launch with a modest Rs 6.5 to Rs 7 crore. According to an old PV report, the film's distributors had been attempting to get a hefty 60 per cent share of total shows, but several exhibitors have refused to comply. The report mentioned, 'While some single screens have agreed on two-shows per-day, the non-national chains are willing to give not more than 35 per cent shows to Son of Sardaar 2. This has left PVRInox fuming, and the fight is on to secure more shows." Son Of Sardaar 2 Boasts Of An Ensemble Cast Directed by Vijay Kumar Arora, the film would see Ajay Devgn reprise his role as Jaswinder 'Jassi" Singh Randhawa. The new movie will follow Jassi to Scotland to reconcile with his wife. Once there, he becomes involved in a mob battle and a violent wedding. Son Of Sardaar 2 also stars Mrunal Thakur, Ravi Kishan, Neeru Bajwa, Deepak Dobriyal, Kubbra Sait, Chunkey Panday, Vindu Dara Singh, Roshni Walia and others. Originally slated for July 25, it was finally released on August 1, clashing with Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri's Dhadak 2. Son of Sardar 2 is produced by Ajay Devgn and Jyoti Deshpande and is presented by Jio Studios and Devgn Films, as well as by SOS 2 Limited. N R Pachisia and Pravin Talreja produced the film, which was co-produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak. First Published: 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.
