Breaking multiple box office conventions, the Bollywood film ‘Saiyaara’ has emerged as a surprise blockbuster, collecting a record-breaking INR1337.5 million in India within just five days of its release. The film, directed by Mohit Suri, marks the Bollywood debut of Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda.

Released on July 18, the film has consistently earned more than INR200 million every day since its opening, starting with INR220 million on Thursday and peaking at INR365 million on Sunday. As per Tuesday’s figures, the film added another INR250 million to its tally. Made on a modest budget of INR480 million, Saiyaara recovered its production costs by the fourth day.

The film’s commercial success is being attributed to a mix of factors, including the fresh lead pairing, Suri’s emotional storytelling style, a hit soundtrack, strong word-of-mouth publicity, and an aggressive social media campaign. Critics have also responded positively to the film, further boosting its reach across urban and semi-urban centres.

Interestingly, ‘Saiyaara’ has outperformed big-budget releases in the same window. Salman Khan’s much-anticipated ‘Sikandar’, for example, failed to cross the one thousand million mark within its first four days.

Clips of packed theatres and emotional audience reactions have gone viral across social platforms, suggesting a growing connection with younger audiences and first-time moviegoers.