Mohit Suri’s romantic drama Saiyaara, starring newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, has quietly managed to carve a niche for itself at the box office despite facing two of the year’s biggest juggernauts Rajinikanth’s Coolie and Hrithik Roshan’s War 2.After completing 31 days in cinemas, Saiyaara has collected a net total of around Rs 324.50 crore, powered by a strong opening and respectable holds in its first four weeks. However, the real test for the film began mid-August, when two mega releases hit theatresOn 14th August, Coolie and War 2 clashed at the box office and took away most of the screens from Saiyaara thereby, limiting its reach and pushing it into a survival battle.Yet, the film has held its ground remarkably well. In the last four days (Day 28 to Day 31), Saiyaara still managed to add Rs 1.90 crore to its total Rs 20 lakh on Day 28, Rs 50 lakh on Day 29, Rs 57 lakh on Day 30, and Rs 63 lakh on Day 31. For a month-old film running against two of the biggest pan-India blockbusters of the year, these figures are a testimony to the loyalty of its audience.The film opened to Week 1 total of Rs 172.75 crore, and in the second week it added another Rs 107.75 crore to its kitty. Week 3 major drop in collection as it earned only Rs 28.25 crore in Week 3 and Week 4 stood at Rs 14.05 crore in Week 4. Still, the fact that the film continues to earn in its fifth week despite being squeezed out of prime showtimes is a huge achievement.The arrival of Coolie and War 2 undeniably dealt a blow to Saiyaara’s box office momentum. Trade reports suggest that the film lost major screens overnight, with most cinemas preferring to allot maximum screens to the big-ticket actioners.But Saiyaara’s relatively modest budget, its strong music album, and the emotional connect of its love story allowed it to hold on to a steady audience base. With its current total and steady trickle of collections, Saiyaara is expected to finish its lifetime run in the range of Rs 330 crore net, an exceptional number for a film led by a debutant. More importantly, the film’s resilience against the might of Coolie and War 2 makes its performance all the more commendable.
