Is Saiyarra the start of a generational shift, or just a trend/phase? - Page 2

Originally posted by: Maroonporsche

https://x.com/komalnahta/status/1947293247250002166?s=46

ddlj was special. i dont think saiyaara is going to be anywhere near ddlj. for the sake of comparison it can be compared to a qsqt.

Subhash Ghai says Saiyaara success sends clear message: 'Don’t overspend on stars, focus on story' | Bollywood - Hindustan Times https://share.google/zN6DoNSmGuxB2Cvij

Originally posted by: Rosyme

Subhash Ghai says Saiyaara success sends clear message: 'Don’t overspend on stars, focus on story' | Bollywood - Hindustan Times https://share.google/zN6DoNSmGuxB2Cvij

Wise words

"focus on story" ... yes, but not only for half of the movie...or make such movies shorter...

QSQT started trend of romantic movies.MPK,Saajan,Phool Aur Kaante followed.Romantic movies with young 20 year old newcomers followed.After Aamir-Juhi, Salman-Bhagyashree and Ajay-Madhoo came.Though some of them have made their appearance before (Aamir in Holi,Juhi in 1 or 2 movies , Salman in Biwi Ho To Aisi) but they were still relatively new.

It also started the trend of innocent, boy next door, romantic male protagonists.This was diametrically opposite to the angry action protagonists that dominated the 80's.

It revitalized the music scene, paving the way for other young composers and singers to enter the industry.

The protagonists in Saiyaara are all seen in almost the last few years itself. It might bring back the trend of young new actors as romantic leads and original songs.

Originally posted by: mintyblue

If we look at history, true generational shifts in Bollywood aren’t just about one successful film. They’re a culmination of changing audience tastes, new storytelling sensibilities, and fresh faces who can consistently deliver. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak didn’t just mark Aamir and Juhi’s arrival—it heralded the comeback of romance, the end of the disco era, and opened the gates for a whole new aesthetic and emotional tone in cinema. Similarly, the 2007-08 mini-shift you referenced aligned with multiplex expansion, YouTube’s entry into India, and urban youth looking for relatable stories and contemporary stars.

Now, Saiyaara is doing staggering numbers, no doubt, and that’s significant—especially since it’s led by two complete newcomers, one of whom is Gen Z’s own Aneet Padda. But to call it a generational “shift” just yet may be premature. One swallow doesn’t make a summer. A cultural or cinematic shift is only validated in hindsight—when a cluster of new talents begin not just entering, but dominating, and the older guard gradually recedes not because they failed, but because the audience organically moved on.

That said, Saiyaara does feel like more than a fluke. There’s something about the way it’s been embraced—by teens, 20-somethings, and even millennial romantics hungry for earnest emotion in a cynical algorithm-driven industry. It’s unbranded, unburdened by lineage, and free of star kid baggage. If the industry has the courage to see this as a signal and not just a surprise, and if Aneet and her co-star follow this up with equally resonant performances—then yes, we might just be witnessing the beginning of a new wave.

But it’s not just about the debutants. The real question is—will more such voices and stories follow? Will studios and storytellers back them? If Saiyaara becomes a one-off romantic success in a sea of action-dominated tentpoles, it may be remembered fondly but not pivotally. But if it inspires a pipeline of authentic, fresh, youth-centric storytelling—it could be the 2020s’ QSQT moment.

Wow, Minty—this is such a sharp, elegantly articulated take. Take a bow for your writing skills.

I loved the QSQT parallel. I agree that Saiyaara might just be "the turning point" for this decade. But like you said, it’ll depend on what comes after—if the current gensupports more such stories and if audiences continue to show up for them.

I guess inn 4-5 years, we’ll know whether this was a one-off moment or the beginning of a new era.

Originally posted by: blue-ice.1

I think it is a just one-off moment.......We don't have the actors to carry off such movies.......After QSQT.....we had Amir, SRK, Salman, Akki.....to carry it forward......and so well.......but I don't see anyone in this generation.....

BTW just out of curiosity.....why the for the numbers??

I am actually not too impressed with the film, which is why that reacrtion.

I am not a hater, but I've never been a fan of films like Aashiqui 2, Sanam Tere Kasam and even Rockstar. And Saiyarra belongs to the same umbrella of films.

I love romance but the romance portrayed in such kind of films is usually obsessive and toxic. I still love wholesome and "feel-good" films that Khans did in the 90s.

The success of this film might be a good thing for Bollywood, but I am afraid it will spawn a series of similar films because makers usually keep repeating the same formula until the public gets bored of it.

Originally posted by: snatch

Its the trigger to have the generational shift. industry wont survive otherwise. Commercial cinema is basically the medium of youth and romance.

if industry do not cater into the much needed break they got, then god save them.

Having said that, I do think that Bollywood needs to shift its focus on younger generation more and give them what they want. I just hope they do it responsibly, instead of "catering" that they always do.

Definitely, we have seen wonders with QSQT, MPK, KNPH, etc, Saiyaara can be added in this list based upon the box office collection and music frenzy hitting all the social media charts.

If both the stars can further prove their mettle in the near future, then only we can confirm birth of new stars in the industry, else might just be a fluke like many likes Rahul Roy's Aashiqui, Kumar Gaurav's Love Story, etc.

Originally posted by: snatch

ddlj was special. i dont think saiyaara is going to be anywhere near ddlj. for the sake of comparison it can be compared to a qsqt.

Absolutely. Ahaan himself could turn out to be a 1-film wonder, so it's too soon to call him "an upcoming superstar" or compare him with SRK.

While QSQT and MPK were the first to bring focus on youth/romance, it wasn't until HAHK and DDLJ that family audience got their faith back in Bollywood.

DDLJ made a HUGE impact at its time, and kind of spawned a new era of its own. There's a reason why 90s era feels very different pre-DDLJ and post-DDLJ.