Subhechcha Ganguly 
Mohit Suri’s romantic drama Saiyaara, starring debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, hit theatres today (July 18) and has already turned heads with its staggering advance booking numbers. Despite being led by newcomers and backed by a mid-budget, the YRF film has generated massive pre-release buzz, hinting at a blockbuster opening.
According to Sacnilk, Saiyaara amassed ₹9.39 crore in advance booking sales, with 3.8 lakh tickets sold prior to release. This figure not only surpasses debutant-led films like Dhadak (₹8.76 crore) and Student of the Year (₹3.75 crore) but also races ahead of big-ticket releases from industry veterans.
Akshay Kumar’s Sky Force clocked ₹3.78 crore in advance sales, Kesari Chapter 2 lagged at ₹1.84 crore, Ajay Devgn’s Raid 2 stood at ₹6.52 crore, and Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par trailed with ₹3.32 crore. Only Salman Khan’s Sikandar narrowly edged out Saiyaara with over ₹10 crore in advance bookings. However, Saiyaara topped Sikandar in ticket volume (3.8 lakh vs. 3.3 lakh) and doubled its sales in national multiplex chains.
With these record-shattering numbers, Saiyaara is on course for a ₹20+ crore opening day — potentially becoming the fourth-highest opener of 2025 after Chhaava, Sikandar, and Housefull 5. Trade experts believe the film might even challenge Housefull 5 and surpass the ₹25 crore mark if Friday shows strong momentum.
