Shah Rukh Khan praises Mohit Suri's no-hype strategy for Saiyaara
Filmmaker Mohit Suri recalled how Shah Rukh Khan praised the promotional strategy of Saiyaara at Siddharth Anand's Diwali party.
Shah Rukh Khan has praised filmmaker Mohit Suri for taking an unconventional route while promoting Saiyaara, particularly for keeping debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda away from the spotlight ahead of the film’s release. The actor reportedly called it “the best thing we did,” endorsing a strategy that broke away from Bollywood’s usual publicity playbook.
Speaking to Variety India, Suri recalled meeting Khan at Siddharth Anand’s Diwali party on October 24, 2025, where the superstar backed the decision to avoid overexposing the film’s fresh faces. Instead of extensive interviews and promotional appearances, the team focused on building intrigue around the film, an approach that appears to have paid off.
Why were the actors kept away from promotions?
Suri explained that since Saiyaara did not feature established stars, the team consciously avoided traditional promotional tactics. Rather than pushing the actors into the media circuit, they chose to channel their efforts elsewhere. “This is not a PR thing,” Suri said, adding that the aim was to maintain authenticity and curiosity around the film’s leads.
How did music drive Saiyaara’s success?
A significant portion of the film’s budget went into promoting its music. The songs quickly gained traction, becoming chartbusters and setting the tone for the film’s release. The strategy shifted focus from faces to feeling, allowing audiences to connect with the film’s emotional core before seeing its actors on screen.
What made Saiyaara a box office hit?
The romantic musical drama emerged as a major commercial success, earning Rs 570 crore globally and Rs 329 crore in India. It also became one of the highest-grossing romantic films in the country. Positive word-of-mouth and strong reviews contributed to its sustained run, while endorsements from names like Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt and Ananya Panday amplified its reach.
Following the film’s success, Ahaan Panday is reportedly in talks for a project with Ali Abbas Zafar, while Aneet Padda is set to headline Shakti Shalini under Maddock’s horror-comedy universe.
Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for King, directed by Siddharth Anand, co-starring Deepika Padukone, Suhana Khan and Abhishek Bachchan, with a theatrical release slated for December 24.