Saiyaara has sparked many things — cheer at the box office, an outpouring of love from fans, and social media clips of heightened reactions from moviegoers.
Interestingly, it has also brought about intense scrutiny on Anurag Basu’s yet-untitled romantic musical with Kartik Aaryan, which is said to have similar plot points. Ever since Mohit Suri’s directorial venture became a monstrous hit, rumours are rife that Basu and his team are reworking their script.
(From left)Kartik Aaryan and Sreeleela in the yet-untitled film
Is there any truth to the buzz? A hard no, says Basu. Unfazed by the rumours, the filmmaker says, “Mohit and I are very close. I’m happy for his film’s success. The only similarity in our films is that the male lead is a rockstar, and the story is about his journey.”
Starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, Saiyaara depicts a musician’s heartbreak as the love of his life battles early onset of Alzheimer’s disease and how it changes their lives. Sources indicate that the upcoming Aaryan and Sreeleela-starrer too initially explored similar themes. A source reveals, “After Saiyaara’s success, Kartik, Anurag, and producer Bhushan Kumar felt they needed to up the scale and emotional stakes of their story. So, parts of it are being rewritten; they will do away with the segment of the female lead battling a mental illness. Post the rewrite, the unit will have a 40-day re-shoot of portions that were filmed earlier this year.”
A still from ‘Saiyaara’
Mention this to Basu, and he says neither a rewrite nor a re-shoot is on the cards. The filmmaker adds that he was aware of Saiyaara’s story beforehand — the revelation echoes what Suri told mid-day earlier this month (‘I went and narrated the film to Anurag’, July 19). Basu elaborates, “In my film, the girl doesn’t have dementia or any [other condition]. We are not rewriting or re-shooting. I knew beforehand that the girl has Alzheimer’s [disease] in Saiyaara. So, why would I write the same [plot point] in mine?”
The director, however, admits that his love story — initially planned as a Diwali offering — has been pushed to 2026. He attributes it to his busy calendar and continuity issues. “We have shot about 40 per cent of the film. In August and September, we plan to shoot another schedule in which Kartik will have a clean-shaven look. He is currently shooting for Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri, in which he has a specific look. The continuity is the problem. He needs to complete that film; after that, by the month-end, we will lock the next schedule.”
Same starting point?
In his interviews, Mohit Suri has revealed that the core idea of Saiyaara was originally pitched for Aashiqui 3. However, things didn’t work out, and Suri went on to develop it as Saiyaara.
Meanwhile, Bhushan Kumar and Mukesh Bhatt roped in Kartik Aaryan and Anurag Basu to make Aashiqui 3. But when the two producers parted ways on the project, there was a legal dispute over the use of ‘Aashiqui’ in the film’s title. The Delhi High Court ruled in Bhatt’s favour, preventing Kumar from naming the Aaryan-starrer Aashiqui 3.