
Real-Life Saiyaara: Director Mohit Suri's Own Love Story Is No Less Than His Superhit Film
In a candid conversation with NDTV, Mohit Suri opened up about how he manifested the love of his life and wife, actor Uditaa Goswami.
"I still feel like that boy who was sitting outside Amar Juice Centre in Mumbai, looking up at her hoarding from Paap (Uditaa Goswami's debut Hindi film which released in 2003), and saying I want to marry this girl. I didn't even know who she was. I just said it. And, I guess the universe was listening," said Mohit Suri, who directed Uditaa Goswami in his 2005 directorial debut Zeher.
Mohit Suri recalled telling Paap 's director Pooja Bhatt, who is one of his first cousins, about the moment, never imagining that it would turn into reality. "I went for a (film) trial and Pooja introduced me to her. She said, 'Uditaa, this is Mohit. He wants to be a director, and he wants to marry you.' It was very embarrassing... But I guess that's when our love story really began."
Today, the couple has been together for over 21 years. They tied the knot in 2013 and are parents to two children. "Even now, I feel excited when she praises me, and upset when she doesn't talk to me. She fights with me sometimes and says, 'You've left all your emotions for your films.' But I'm still that same boy in love with her," the director said.
While Saiyaara continues to win hearts on screen, it's Mohit Suri's real-life love story that proves he's not just directing romance, he's living it.

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


Mint
8 minutes ago
- Mint
Mahavatar Narsimha Box Office Collection Day 6: Ashwin Kumar film stays strong amid discounts, crosses ₹30 cr mark
Mahavatar Narsimha Box Office Collection Day 6: Ashwin Kumar's mythological animated film, Mahavatar Narsimha, has maintained its streak at the box office. The film has been a sleeper hit, giving tough competition to films like Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 -- Sword vs Spirit. The film has now crossed the ₹ 30 crore mark in India despite discounted ticket prices. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Mahavatar Narsimha minted ₹ 4.48 crore in all languages on day 6 from morning, afternoon and evening shows across India. The total business made by the animated film now stands at ₹ 34.03 crore. However, this isn't the final figure for the day. The film was released in Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam languages in 2D and 3D formats. As per the early estimates, Mahavatar Narsimha had an overall 44.15% occupancy on day 6 among the Telugu audience in 3D. The occupancy was as follows: In Telugu 2D, Mahavatar Narsimha had an overall 30.01% on day 6. It recorded occupancy as: For the Hindi version (3D), Mahavatar Narsimha registered 46.50% occupancy on Wednesday, while the 2D format in the same language had 22.81% occupancy. The film in 3D version is performing better in theatres. On day 5, the film's India Gross Collection was ₹ 35.25 crore. Talking about the business of the film, film industry analyst and insider Taran Adarsh shared how the film continues after slashing its ticket prices. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter, '#MahavatarNarsimha [#Hindi version] continues to stand tall with each passing day… Just look at the day-wise data – it's extremely rare for a film to witness such multifold growth not just over the weekend, but even on weekdays. The Tuesday numbers are HIGHER than Friday, Saturday, and Monday – exceptional trending... While the discounted ticket initiative did boost Tuesday's numbers, it also led to an overall increase in footfalls.' '#MahavatarNarsimha is clearly here to stay and is expected to continue its strong run, despite two prominent releases this Friday – #SOS2 and #Dhadak2. #MahavatarNarsimha [Week 1] Fri 1.38 cr, Sat 3.40 cr, Sun 6.77 cr, Mon 3.50 cr, Tue 5 cr. Total: ₹ 20.05 cr. #Hindi version,' he added. The film is directed by Ashwin Kumar and bankrolled by Hombale Films.


India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Anupam Kher on Tanvi vs Saiyaara box office: Even SRK bounces back after 4 flops
Actor-producer Anupam Kher reacted to the box office performance of his latest film 'Tanvi: The Great'. In an interview with the veteran actor said he didn't mind that 'Saiyaara' performed better than 'Tanvi' at the ticket window, because he believes that his film will eventually find its audience. He also referred to actor Shah Rukh Khan to assert that the failure of the superstar's films doesn't speak of his skills as an triumphant, and I'm not faking it. I'm proud of being part of this film and this film will find its glory in terms of money also," he said, mentioning a social media post that he shared the other day about 'Saiyaara's' box office performance."That's why I could make that post where I sort of said 'Saiyaara' performed fantastically [at the box office]. I could do that, not faking it up. Four films by Shah Rukh Khan don't do well - it doesn't mean that he will not bounce back in a big way." Kher elaborated on the legacy of 'Tanvi: The Great'. He said his film is meant to change "people's thinking." The popular actor said, "I'm not saying it out of arrogance or anything, but in the next 7-8 years, it will be called a film that changed people's thinking. It's already done that. I've already got such unbelievable messages, people are crying after watching it, because it taps the goodness in them which is completely missing." "It taps the journey of a girl who has just no means but to sort of fulfil her dream, because that's what comes to your mind," he added."It made me a better person. It made me a person who believes in goodness completely. It made me believe that sincerity is the only thing that the camera captures. Of course, we all want the box office to go through the roof and I had also expected it, but strangely, I was telling somebody that 'I am a bit disappointed, but I'm not sad'." Both 'Saiyaara' and 'Tanvi: The Great' have young protagonists. Does 'Saiyaara's' success speak of the taste of the younger audience then? Kher said it's working because a love story has taken over the screens after a long time."No, I'm not cynical about it. I think after a long time, a love story has come - about a boy and a girl - after a long, long time. It's a sense of yearning - I don't know - I've not seen the film, so I don't know exactly." He went on, "It's a business thing now... the kind of advance (advance booking) they got. The system says that we must give more theatres to films which are already doing well. But having said that, I think it has somewhere touched the core of the audience. But that doesn't mean the same people cannot appreciate something for me. I don't agree with that."advertisementMahesh Bhatt, who cast Anupam Kher in his debut film 'Saaransh', recently appreciated 'Tanvi', adding that while he is aware of 'Saiyaara's' success, the Mohit Suri film didn't have an "original voice" like Kher's expressed his gratitude to Bhatt for standing by his film despite the popular verdict in favour of 'Saiyaara'."It makes me feel proud that my mentor thinks that it touched his soul. When I perform for a film and somebody says that your performance has been sold, I do feel happier. When I read that quote - somebody forwarded it to me - I read it out to my whole team," he said."He has - what should I say, not audacity, that is not the right word - he has the frankness to be able to say that. Look at the frankness that he has. He is very fond of Mohit. He's very fond of me, but he still has the truth in him to be able to say that. He has the courage." advertisementKher launched his book 'Different But No Less' on Wednesday. The book tells the story of an autistic girl defying odds in 'Tanvi: The Great', but also mirrors it with his own journey of resilience."I'm launching my book today. I spoke to all my investors. They're all fantastic. They're saying 'what a great film we are associated with. Whenever you have [money], you give it to us.' I don't have any issue. I made it on my own terms," he said, highlighting that he's happy with the response to the film and everything else will come together on its shared that every film is an experience for him, and even 'Tanvi: The Great' taught him so much as a person. He said it made him a "better human being"."When my financer unfortunately could not fulfil his commitment, I could have stopped the film. I was pushed to the wall, but I gave my best. Because that's only when you can discover your power. I thought 'let me use all my might and see what I can do'. That gives you self-worth, a perspective of life. I am happy, peaceful. It gave me immense joy. I have never experienced so much joy by making this film with so many difficulties," he concluded.- EndsTrending Reel IN THIS STORY#Anupam Kher


India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
‘Saiyaara' and a nation in the mood for love
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated August 4, 2025)No reels were shot. No interviews given. No city tours or visits to malls and colleges. Relying on its ballad-heavy soundtrack and the track record of director Mohit Suri (who has done most of the pre-release heavy lifting), a romantic drama featuring two newcomers—Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda—has sprung out of nowhere to create a mini tremor at the box office. Opening day collections? Rs 21.5 crore. Doubts about the figure being inflated or fudged were abound, but by the weekend of July 18, nobody could deny that Saiyaara, a new film about a young couple whose love is challenged when one of them develops early-onset Alzheimer's, is a smash hit. Rs 83 crore in three days! Records have already piled up: biggest opening weekend for a film featuring rookies, biggest opening for a romantic film in Indian cinema... With week one set to easily cross the Rs 150 crore mark, the film is destined to enter the Rs 300 crore club. That these numbers come at a time when the love story was deemed a deadbeat genre on the big screen has made this accomplishment all the more how did it happen? The key, as has been the case with many of Suri's previous romantic outings (Murder 2, Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain), may be the soundtrack, which not only complements his emotional narratives but at times also supercedes it. Saiyaara's album features fresh vocal talent like Faheem Abdullah, who has sung and co-composed the title track, which has busted the charts and has the youth singing Suri, 'If I have had a good musical record, it's because my education has been with a company that prioritised and paid attention to music and lyrics.' He credits his uncles Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt, whose banner Vishesh Films gave him his big break, and adds, 'Music and romance go hand in hand. Tell me one love story that did well but didn't have good music. I like to have my ears to the ground, to stay in touch with what people are hearing and connecting to.' Earworms he's anchored like 'Phir Mohabbat', 'Tum Hi Ho' and 'Galliyan' still dominating the airwaves are proof that he knows what he's doing. MUSIC MEETS FILMJust a track record of successful romantic releases, however, didn't mean that Suri had an easy time selling the movie to producers. He conceived the film at a time when the genre was struggling to put bums on seats. The industry belief has been that ever since COVID-19, the audience has been content watching love stories from the comfort of their homes on OTT platforms and it is the adrenaline-heavy, larger-than-life action spectacles that are thriving on the big felt the void. It helped that he had just happened to see The Romantics, the Netflix documentary series tracking the origin and rise of Yash Raj Films (YRF). 'I was roaming around with the script and a lot of people were genuinely concerned about me and said that no one is going to make a film like this,' he says. Loosely inspired by Korean film A Moment to Remember, Suri wanted to craft a musical romance around a creative partnership—a hotheaded singer and a heartbroken writer who inspires him and he male lead, played by Panday] has bare raw talent who doesn't know what to do with it; [the female lead, Padda] has the words and knows how to channelise the best from him. They are soul mates but can't be together,' he adds. This dynamic is different from the one in his other blockbuster romance, Aashiqui 2, which was more supportive than did Suri know that Yash Raj Films, otherwise busy building up their Spy Universe, was on the lookout for a love story. To invest Rs 50 crore on a film with two twentysomething newcomers was a gamble they were willing to take. Casting director Shanoo Sharma, who has brought to Bollywood talents like Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh and Bhumi Pednekar, found the perfect pair in Panday (cousin of Ananya Panday) and Padda, whose earlier credit is a little-seen web series Big Girls Don't Cry. YRF was confident it had an ace up its sleeves with the genre it was once synonymous with—romance.'It meant a lot to me that mine was the film with which YRF wanted to come back to the genre,' says Suri. 'My education in romantic films was going to theatres and watching Yash [Chopra] ji and Adi [Aditya] sir's films. We all grew up falling in love with the kind of films they did.'advertisementInterestingly, the young leads were spared the burden of a promotional blitz. 'We wanted to take away those expectations,' says Suri. 'I think they have excelled. They have given it their all. They went all in, their hunger is there. They are more skilled and prepared than [we were when] we started out. They want their work to talk.'RETURN OF ROMANCEAnd talk it has, with 27-year-old Panday, particularly, being celebrated as the next big thing. Much chatter has been around how the film could portend the return of romance in Hindi cinema. After all, not since Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, 25 years back, has a love story with debutants been embraced with such the crystal ball remains hazy. Kaho Naa... came at the tail-end of a decade of love stories, in which Shah Rukh Khan led the wave with his trademark outstretched arms. In recent times, the only other Hindi romantic film to have connected so feverishly with audiences was Sandeep Reddy Vanga's Kabir Singh (2019), with its wild-child of a hero leaving some audiences unsettled by his rage and Yet the industry appears hopeful. 'Thankfully, Saiyaara has made heads turn and made everyone realise that it's the big intrinsic idea that really drives the box office.... I hope it makes the industry realise that what we need is not one genre over and over again. We need to give audiences a variety,' says Akkshay Rathie, director at Aashirwad Theatres and a film exhibitor. Annukampa Harsh, a fortysomething writer who saw the film with her mother, says that Saiyaara is proof that 'the old school works.... We don't need 'modern' love stories. The only thing new about love today is how we seek it.'advertisementWhether any of the upcoming romantic films in the next few months (see Love is in the Air) will resonate the way Saiyaara has with the audiences remains to be seen. But what is clear right now is that Panday and Padda are two of the industry's brightest young stars basking in the success of a debut that could only have been written in the to India Today Magazine- Ends