Top News

Veteran trade analyst and film journalist Komal Nahta recently opened up about the unexpectedly massive success of Saiyaara, a romantic drama that took the box office by storm and left many industry insiders baffled. Featuring debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, the film has not only revived the genre of romance in Bollywood but has also raked in an impressive ₹485 crore globally, making it the second-highest grossing Hindi film of the year so far.

Komal Nahata predicted Saiyaara's success

In a conversation with Faridoon Shahryar on YouTube, Nahta revealed that he had sensed the film’s potential early on, even when many others in the industry had dismissed it. Recalling an incident at a party hosted by producer Bhushan Kumar, he shared how his mention of the film being a “blockbuster” visibly upset a prominent actor.

“I wrote the article not to make fun of that person, but just to tell the world how insecure this industry really is. Even an established star can become insecure because of a newcomer. They have to remember that they were also newcomers once upon a time, they shouldn’t be nervous; there’s enough space for everyone. I was at Bhushan Kumar’s party, and one of his stars asked me about Saiyaara. I told him that it’s a blockbuster. He got up and left,” Nahta recounted.

40-year-old actor who is not happy with Saiyaara's success

The journalist also stood by an earlier piece he had written about a “40-year-old actor” who was reportedly struggling with Saiyaara's overwhelming reception. While he chose not to name the individual to avoid embarrassment, Nahta insisted that the report was grounded in truth.

“I didn’t take the actor’s name so as not to embarrass them. But whatever I wrote, that he is spending sleepless nights, that he is constantly on calls asking if the numbers are accurate, every word of that article is genuine, I swear. The only detail that I have misrepresented is the number of films that person has done, but only to save them from embarrassment,” he clarified.

Highlighting the deeply competitive nature of the Hindi film industry, Nahta further said, “At least 20 people called me after Saiyaara, and expressed shock about its opening. But I told them that it was guaranteed; they weren’t paying enough attention to the promotions.”

He also revealed a pattern among producers and filmmakers, many of whom call him on Fridays hoping for bad reviews of newly released films. “If I say something nice, they quietly hang up. If I criticise the film, they want to discuss it in detail,” he laughed.