What made Saiyaara a surprise blockbuster?

Saiyaara, a film starring two newcomers, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, became the highest-grossing Bollywood love story of all time, exceeding expectations.

How did Saiyaara's viral social media presence impact the film's success?

Contrary to popular belief, the viral videos and reels of fans' reactions on social media were not a marketing tactic, but rather an organic phenomenon that surprised even the film's producers.

What was Aditya Chopra's, the head of Yash Raj Films, initial reaction to Saiyaara?

Despite the film's rough edit being 3 hours and 15 minutes long, Chopra had confidence in the project and believed it would succeed even if it opened to a modest ₹4-5 crore.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Saiyaara's Viral Reels and Organic Fandom Surprise Bollywood Insiders

Saiyaara's Viral Reels and Organic Fandom Surprise Bollywood Insiders

9 Oct

•

Summary

Saiyaara becomes highest-grossing Bollywood love story with two newcomers
Viral social media videos of fans' reactions were not a marketing tactic
Yash Raj Films CEO confident in film's success even in rough edit stage

Saiyaara's Viral Reels and Organic Fandom Surprise Bollywood Insiders

On October 9th, 2025, at the FICCI Frames 2025 event, Mohit Suri and Yash Raj Films CEO Akshaye Widhani discussed the unexpected success of their film Saiyaara. The film, which launched two newcomers, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, has become a legacy project for the production house.

Widhani revealed that Saiyaara has achieved remarkable feats, including becoming the highest-grossing Bollywood love story of all time and reaching the #4 spot on the global Spotify chart with its title track. However, the most surprising aspect was the viral social media response, with Instagram flooded with Saiyaara-related reels and videos of fans' reactions.

Widhani clarified that these viral moments were not a marketing tactic, but rather an organic phenomenon. He was initially surprised by the widespread attention, thinking it was just his personal algorithm. However, the film's popularity had taken on a life of its own, with viewers going to unexpected lengths to express their enthusiasm.