Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 19 (ANI): The romantic drama 'Saiyaara,' which stars newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, had an impressive start at the box office on Day 1.

Despite having no big stars, no franchise backing, and no festival release date, the Mohit Suri directorial has managed to earn a strong 21.25 crore on its opening day in India.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the update on X, calling it a historic moment for a debut film. '#Saiyaara is the BIGGEST OPENER EVER for a film headlined by newcomers,' his post read.

As per Adarsh, the film also beaten the advance bookings of biggies, including 'Housefull 5,' 'Raid 2,' 'Sikandar,' and 'Sitaare Zameen Par.' From single screens in small towns to big city multiplexes, the film maintained high occupancy levels throughout the day.

https://x.com/taran_adarsh/status/1946478936721948860

Earlier, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta took to his X account to praise the makers for choosing to stay away from the usual 'overload' of promotional activity, something that has become common in Bollywood over the years. Calling the strategy 'genius,' he highlighted how it helped maintain the 'freshness' of the lead pair, making their presence on screen more impactful.

'Whoever took the decision at YRF to keep the lead pair of Saiyaara away from all the pre-release interviews, appearances, and podcasts is a genius,' Gupta wrote.'They kept alive the freshness exclusively for the big screen. And look at how it's worked,' he added.

Directed by Mohit Suri, the film tells the story of Krish (Ahaan), an aspiring singer, and Vaani (Aneet), a lyricist who writes for Ahaan's character.

'Though poles apart in their lives, beliefs, and backgrounds, Vaani and Krish are perfect for each other. Will they understand that truth despite their age and their problems? They say flawed, imperfect people make for a perfect love story... and Saiyaara is about celebrating that one love story that is so deep, so pure, and so caring that it is absolutely unconditional,' the film's synopsis reads.

Meanwhile, the film's box office performance is expected to grow over the weekend. (ANI)