Mohit Suri on Why He Didn't Choose Newcomers for Saiyaara: Watch Trailer Here

Saiyaara has quickly become the most talked-about debut film in the Hindi film industry in a long, long time. Yash Raj Films released the trailer today, instantly setting the internet abuzz.

Director Mohit Suri reveals he is humbled by the love the film is receiving, especially since he had once given up on the idea of making Saiyaara with newcomers. “I didn’t come across debutants with the acting calibre required,” he admits. However, he’s now thrilled to have found Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, who lived up to his expectations with their raw talent and on-screen presence.

Mohit shares, “I wouldn’t have made Saiyaara if I hadn’t found formidable actors like Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. Honestly, I was considering making a different film before my path crossed with Yash Raj Films, who were looking to tell a young love story and had been grooming Ahaan and Aneet for such a project.”

🎬 Watch the trailer of Saiyaara here: 

He adds, “When you're making a love story with debutants, they must be convincing actors who can convey the emotional depth and vulnerability needed to make the love story believable. Of course, no one expects them to perform like Ranbir Kapoor or Alia Bhatt right away, but they must be able to hold their own on screen. For the longest time, I couldn’t find that vulnerability or depth in the new crop of actors, so I had shelved the idea of making this film with newcomers.”

Mohit continues, “I had even restructured the film with commercially viable faces. But as the writing process took its time, I met the YRF team, saw Ahaan and Aneet’s auditions, and decided to spend time with them to truly understand their emotional and intellectual depth. I was blown away. Here were two completely fresh talents who were ready to surrender themselves to the vision. That’s a rarity today, and it was incredibly refreshing to make a love story with newcomers. I’m glad I found these two — Saiyaara is now being made exactly the way it was meant to be.”

The much-anticipated romantic drama marks the first-ever collaboration between Yash Raj Films and Mohit Suri — a combination of two forces known for delivering iconic love stories.

Saiyaara has already delivered what is being hailed as the best music album of the year, with chartbusters like the title track by Faheem-Arslan, Barbaad by Jubin Nautiyal, Tum Ho Toh by Vishal Mishra, Humsafar by Sachet-Parampara, and Dhun by Arijit Singh and Mithoon topping music charts across India.

YRF CEO Akshaye Widhani, who is producing the film, says, “At YRF, we have a legacy of making love stories that have resonated deeply and stayed in people’s hearts for decades. Our collaboration with Mohit Suri — who shares our passion for the genre — was destined to happen. We wanted to tell a genuine, emotional love story that reflects the depth of today’s youth, and we found that in Saiyaara.”

He adds, “It’s a story that is quintessentially YRF at heart, yet it carries all the emotional highs and intense storytelling that Mohit Suri has been known for over the past 20 years. A debutant-led love story of this scale hasn’t been attempted in a long time, and we hope audiences find that incredibly refreshing.”

Saiyaara marks the big-screen debut of Ahaan Panday as a YRF hero, alongside Aneet Padda, who captured hearts with her acclaimed performance in the hit series Big Girls Don’t Cry, now stepping in as the next YRF heroine.

Saiyaara is set to release in theatres worldwide on July 18, 2025.