Saiyaara: A Glossy Romance That Fails to Find Its Soul

When Saiyaara hit theatres, it came with high expectations — a romantic musical promising deep emotion, stunning visuals, and a heartfelt story of love and loss. Unfortunately, while the film shines on the surface with polished aesthetics and soulful music, it ultimately collapses under the weight of weak writing, inconsistent direction, and shallow emotional depth. Saiyaara is a film that looks beautiful but feels hollow — a case of style over substance.

A Familiar Story Dressed as Something New

At its core, Saiyaara tells the story of a passionate musician who falls in love with a writer, only for fate to intervene and test their bond. It’s a premise with potential — simple yet emotionally rich — but what could have been a moving romantic saga quickly turns into a predictable, formulaic drama.

Director Mohit Suri, known for emotional storytelling (Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain), seems to recycle his old ideas without giving them new life. Every emotional beat feels familiar: the rise, the heartbreak, the self-sacrifice, the redemption. Viewers can anticipate every twist long before it arrives. Instead of building suspense or empathy, Saiyaara simply replays the same tune that Suri has used before — only this time, with less conviction.

A Weak Script and Tonal Confusion

One of Saiyaara’s biggest problems is its confused tone. The film wants to be a grand love story, a musical journey, and a tragedy all at once — and it struggles to balance these ambitions. The first half moves briskly with energetic music sequences and romantic montages, but the second half slows down to an emotional crawl.

The pacing is inconsistent, and transitions between joy, heartbreak, and hope feel abrupt. The script also leans on melodrama rather than subtlety, forcing emotions instead of earning them. Moments that should feel poignant often come across as exaggerated or hollow. The emotional rhythm never quite settles — it’s as if the film can’t decide what it truly wants to be.

Characters Without Depth or Conviction

Ahaan Panday, making his debut, gives an earnest performance but struggles with a poorly written character. His musician protagonist alternates between passion and despair without clear motivation or believable transitions. Despite Panday’s sincerity, the character lacks the layers needed to make the audience truly care for his journey.

Aneet Padda, as the female lead, is charming and expressive, yet her character is largely reduced to a plot device. The film introduces her illness (memory loss) as a key turning point, but instead of exploring the psychological and emotional dimensions of such a condition, Saiyaara uses it as a convenient twist. The result is emotionally superficial — a serious issue treated with cinematic convenience rather than compassion.

Supporting characters add little value, serving mostly as emotional triggers or background noise. The relationships lack chemistry, and dialogue often feels forced and overdramatic.

Music and Visuals: Beautiful, but Not Enough

If there’s one area where Saiyaara succeeds, it’s the technical side. The film looks undeniably stunning — the cinematography captures sunlit beaches, concert stages, and emotional close-ups with artistic flair. The production design is glossy and rich, giving Saiyaara the illusion of grandeur.

The soundtrack, too, is melodious and heartfelt. The title track “Saiyaara” stands out with its haunting melody and poetic lyrics. However, even the music can’t fully save the film. Instead of enhancing the emotional journey, it feels overused — as if the filmmakers relied on songs to do the storytelling that the script fails to deliver. The result: a film that sounds emotional but feels empty.

A Mishandled Theme of Memory and Love

One of the film’s most disappointing aspects is its treatment of memory loss — a condition that could have been a profound exploration of identity, love, and loss. Instead, it’s reduced to a plot gimmick. Scenes that should carry emotional gravity are written without logic or depth.

As one online viewer sarcastically pointed out, “The doctor asks an Alzheimer’s patient to remember to tell everyone she has Alzheimer’s.” That line perfectly sums up the film’s problem — a lack of realism and thoughtfulness in dealing with serious subjects. Rather than drawing empathy, the film’s portrayal borders on careless and unconvincing.

A Film That Feels Manufactured, Not Felt

At its heart, Saiyaara wants to be a grand, emotional experience — but emotion cannot be manufactured. The film’s polished visuals and melodious tunes cannot disguise its hollow storytelling. It’s a movie built from fragments of better romantic dramas, stitched together without the sincerity or originality that makes such stories resonate.

By the end, Saiyaara leaves you not with tears or reflection, but with a lingering sense of disappointment. It’s not an outright bad film — it’s simply one that doesn’t live up to its promise. In a genre that thrives on genuine feeling, Saiyaara feels more like a well-packaged performance than a heartfelt story.

Conclusion

Saiyaara certainly has its moments and will likely appeal to those drawn to romantic musicals with strong aesthetic and soundtracks. However, its shortcomings—predictable narrative, underdeveloped characters, tonal unevenness, and surface-level treatment of a significant theme—make it a film that doesn’t quite reach its full potential. In the end, it may entertain, but it leaves you wishing for more substance beneath the gloss.