Star Cast: Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda, Varun Badola
Director: Mohit Suri
Language: Hindi
Available On: Theatrical release
Runtime: 156 Minutes
Review Rating: 2.0
Saiyaara attempts to tell a love story between the passionate singer-composer Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday) and the forgetful poet and lyricist Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda). Their paths cross after Vaani, recovering from a jilting and depression, literally stumbles upon Krish, who returns her lost diary of lyrics. While the film showcases promising debuts, its narrative is largely hampered by illogical plot points and an uneven tone.
Sankalp Sadanah’s story and screenplay lack both sensitivity and sense. The plot is riddled with baffling loopholes, leading to an onslaught of clichéd, melodramatic, and artificial emotions. The film suffers from a “schizophrenic” execution: its first half shows promise with lively sequences, but the second half devolves into a confusing and illogical mess, reminiscent of previous cinematic misfires.
A major flaw lies in the script’s convenient handling of Alzheimer’s. Vaani’s memory conveniently resurfaces or fades precisely when the plot demands, undermining the seriousness of the condition. The climax is excessively stretched and absurd, leading to a similarly commodious finale. Dialogues swing wildly between cliché, forced attempts at profundity, and fleeting moments of realism.
Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda make commendable debuts. Panday emerges as a potential star, delivering an able performance in a role seemingly tailor-made for him, though he should shed his tendency towards a “Sanjay Dutt-like hangdog persona.” Padda, with her charming grace, delivers a fine performance, despite occasional static expressions. Seasoned actors like Rajiv Kumar and Varun Badola are underutilized, but Alam Khan as KV and Geeta Agrawal as Vaani’s mother leave a positive impression.
Director Mohit Suri seems stuck in a creative rut, recycling familiar tropes reminiscent of Vishesh Films. His recent filmography suggests a struggle to reinvent himself or connect with contemporary audience tastes. The pervasive “Vishesh Films’ style” background score and music, created by a “coterie” of musicians, further reinforce this dated feel, failing to live up to the promise of “Vishesh” (extraordinary). Even strong lyrical contributions from Irshad Kamil and Rajshekhar can’t elevate the uninspired music.
Saiyaara is ultimately another letdown this year, squandering the potential of its talented newcomers due to absurd and shortsighted filmmaking. It’s a prime example of how a weak script can sink even promising performances.
