I recently watched the movie Saiyaara with my cousin. The film was 2 hours and 30 minutes long, and she wanted to leave. I convinced her to stay, but afterwards, she said she wouldn’t trust my movie choices again. But trust me, it's not that bad.

The movie reminded me of impactful Bollywood films from 2010, which felt refreshing compared to today’s trends. I plan to review Saiyaara and the performances of Aneet Padda and Ahaan Panday. I enjoyed the acting and want to share my honest thoughts on the performances, storyline, and climaxes.

So here’s the thing: if you haven’t watched "Saiyaara" yet, I highly recommend it. However, if you’re looking for an honest review filled with my raw thoughts on this film, then you’re reading the right article.

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The Story Line

To be honest, I really needed a break from stories that revolve around characters cheating on each other or focusing solely on physical relationships. I was looking for a refreshing change, and this film delivered just that.

It featured the classic love story often found in books and Bollywood films: a bad boy and a good girl, both struggling with their own issues, who help each other heal. She is the reason he rises to fame, but when she falls seriously ill, he doesn’t give up on her. I love these types of plots, and this storyline hit all the right notes.

However, I still have some mixed feelings about it—the overall concept was not original. While the movie had a refreshing feel and satisfied my cravings for such plots, it echoed themes from films like "Aashiqui 2," "Malang," "Ek Villain," and many others. The settings—Mumbai, London, and some picturesque location in Himachal Pradesh—are iconic and have been used in movies like "Jab We Met" and "Namaste London."

The only aspect that seemed somewhat genuine was the boy band element, but I found it contradictory how the boy band seamlessly transitioned to Krish Kapoor being a solo singer while sidelining the others.

A more streamlined plot with better-developed story elements might have improved it. I'm not an expert in plot development, but as a fan of Shakespeare, I appreciate what goes into creating a successful script. If we had seen more of Krish's struggles and the harsh realities of being a rising star, it would have strengthened the film. However, the drama felt excessive, and I believe a little dilution would have made it more effective.

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Ahaan Panday as Krish Kapoor

Firstly, I would like to say “Mahesh, I love you”.

Now let’s break this down.

As a debut actor, I believe Ahaan Panday really nailed his performance. He skillfully conveyed a range of emotions, smiling even when his character was filled with pain, which is truly impressive. However, while I have many praises, I also have some critiques.

I think the emotions could have been channelled more effectively. Ahaan demonstrated good acting ability with his emotional delivery, but at times, it felt inconsistent with the character's development.

As a "bad boy" who also has a good heart, his performance needed to exhibit a more cohesive range of emotions. Although his emotional delivery was commendable, it sometimes felt scattered. Throughout the film, we saw an actor who has made a solid start.

I believe that with time, he will become an even more impactful performer who delivers strong dialogues. Ahaan shows great potential for other roles as well; we could see glimpses of that in his performance. Overall, I would argue that his lead role was strong and focused, and we saw more of Ahaan than Aneet. But I truly enjoyed how he portrayed and embodied the character.

Image Credit: Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash

Aneet Padda as Vaani Batra

Sorry, Mahesh, but I guess I love Vaani more than you.

I swear, Aneet looked like an angel who had fallen from above, right into the movie. Her beauty was truly breathtaking. The pastels she wore highlighted the soft edges of a girl like her, making them the cherry on top of her character.

She portrayed what a classic girl would experience in any relationship, especially how they deal with breakups and everything that comes with them. I loved that aspect of her character.

She left him to chase his dream, was there for him when he needed her, and was his rock in every situation. We saw both the dull and glowing sides of her personality. However, I do want to mention that Ahaan had a stronger lead in this film, in my opinion. Aneet could have flourished more, but her character was not given enough room for her to showcase the talent she has to offer, and I found that disappointing.

If I had seen her express more emotion, particularly in her transitions from depressed to happy and back to depressed, I believe we could have had a showstopper on our hands. We barely heard her speak in the first half of the film. The actor was great, but the character development in the script fell short.

Krish and Vaani

I believe this duo was fantastic. Ahaan had a captivating bad boy physique and attitude, while Aneet portrayed her character with grace and a beautiful flow. It felt as though they were made for each other.

Their chemistry was remarkable. Casting them side by side was an excellent Idea.

Image Credit: Photo by Linus Mimietz on Unsplash

Would I recommend this movie?

I absolutely recommend this movie. In romances, girls often enjoy this particular plot, and "Saiyaara" delivers that well. However, if you're not a fan of Bollywood, romance, or drama, I suggest you skip it, as it may be overwhelming. A lot happens in the 2 hours and 30 minutes of the film.

If you're a true Bollywood fan, though, it's a great movie to watch. "Saiyaara" really showcases the old Bollywood glamour that we all love, which is what makes it such a good film. It's worth the hype, but only if you enjoy this genre.

Image Credit: Photo by Krists Luhaers on Unsplash

Conclusion

I made my points clear: the actors were great, but a more authentic concept for the plot could have taken this film to the next level. However, it was refreshing to see a new movie that stands out from the current trends in cinema, and I loved that about it. Would I watch it again?

Yes, I would. This movie satisfies all the cravings I typically have for Bollywood films. These are my thoughts—I'd love to hear yours in the comments!

And yeah, Krish, don’t come looking for me like you did with that journalist at the start of the film. I am an innocent teenager.