At a time when Hindi cinema has been obsessed with reboots, sequels, and biopics, ‘Saiyaara’ has emerged as a game-changer. The film’s director, Mohit Suri, is credited by audiences and critics for reviving a genre which had been neglected due to filmmakers’ obsession with Pan-India action-dramas.

The romantic-drama featuring Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda in lead roles has created a rage among the youth. The young movie-goers resonated with it not just for the rebellious charm, but also for the soulful melody, visuals and emotional depth. While Ahaan’s debut and one film old Aneet remains the talking point behind the film’s success due to their raw energy and screen presence, what sets apart ‘Saiyaara’ from other Bollywood musicals?

Music is an essential element in the Indian film industry. Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada industries have also worked faithfully towards creating spectacular soundtracks in cinema. However, the Hindi film industry has had a profound impact irrespective of geographical and cultural diversity. The Ahaan-Aneet starrer yet again proves how soul-stirring musicals unify art lovers.

In an era where digital media is dominating visual consumption and streaming platforms are often blamed for low audience turnover in theatres, ‘Saiyaara’ has redefined the perception of a successful film. Prior to the film, many cinematic love stories in the past decades had a similar impact on the audiences, proving naysayers wrong.

Why do musical romantic-dramas about youth aspirations and relationships always turn into cult classics? What could be the reason behind the Hindi film audiences’ fascination with melodious love sagas? Is it the most successful recipe for creating a commercial blockbuster? Here’s a glimpse into the origin of young Bollywood love stories and how they have evolved over the decades.

Bobby (1973)

Raj Kapoor attempted a young teenage love story for the first time after the heartbreaking debacle of his ambitious ‘Mera Naam Joker’ (1970). The legendary director launched his son, actor Rishi Kapoor, in the musical romance – ‘Bobby’ (1973). Actor Dimple Kapadia who made her debut with the movie, played the titular role. Raj Kapoor got the inspiration behind the film after reading the American comic series – ‘Archies’. However, the film became iconic not just for its stylish gadgets and glamour but also for its phenomenal music.

Be it ‘Jhooth Bole Kauva Kaate’, inspired by a folk song to the flirtatious ‘Hum Tum Ek Kamre Me’, the music of ‘Bobby’ became a youth anthem for many decades. The film not only redefined fashion, but also introduced the world with musical geniuses like Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Anand Bakshi and Shailendra Singh. The music wasn’t just a part of the film but became a metaphorical character which conveyed the teenage love story through melodious songs.

Love Story (1981)

A love story about star-crossed lovers, yet again found a connection with young audiences. The film, directed by Rahul Rawail, marked the acting debut of veteran actor Rajendra Kumar’s son, actor Kumar Gaurav. Actor Vijayta Pandit was paired opposite Gaurav in the movie. The film’s success is also attributed to its music. Its songs – ‘Teri Yaad Aa Rahi Hai’ and ‘Dekho Maine Dekha Hai Yeh Ek Sapna’-appealed to film lovers. At a time when the angry young men-Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna, etc. were ruling cinema, ‘Love Story’ rekindled the film industry’s faith in youth-oriented musicals.

Betaab (1983)

Before becoming the poster-boy of larger-than-life action-dramas, actor Sunny Deol made his acting debut with director Rahul Rawail’s ‘Betaab’. Actor Amrita Singh also made her debut opposite Deol in the musical love story, loosely inspired by William Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew’. RD Burman’s music and Anand Bakshi’s lyrics became one of the USPs for the movie, which resonated with the youth for its innocence, drama, soundtrack and simplicity. ‘Jab Hum Jawa Honge’ by Lata Mangeshkar, Shabbir Kumar, is considered one of the most popular songs from the ‘Betaab’ album till date. Though, later Deol came to be known for his action image, his first film proved that a musical love story is the successful recipe for launching newcomers.

Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai (2000)

Director Rakesh Roshan’s musical action love-story gave Bollywood its millennium phenomenon. Actors Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel’s acting debut was unique and a pop-culture hysteria in the early 2000s Indian cinema. The blockbuster not only established Hrithik as a superstar but also set a benchmark for future musical romantic dramas. Apart from the dance sequences and action, all the songs in the film remain fan favourites till date. From ‘Ik pal ka jeena’, ‘Chaand sitaare’, ‘Sitaron ki mehfil’ to the title track, Rajesh Roshan’s music won hearts. The album of ‘Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai’ amplified the movie’s commercial success, which had a lasting impact, especially on Hrithik’s movie career.

Ishq Vishk (2003)

Director Ken Ghosh’s college romance brought a new flavour to love stories with age-appropriate casting. Actors Shahid Kapoor, Amrita Rao and Shehnaz Treasurywala played young students navigating love and life’s aspirations. The film’s album was its soul as it rightfully complemented the theme of the narrative. Shahid became the next youth icon after Hrithik post the success of ‘Ishq Vishk’. The visually appealing songs and melodious tracks depicting youth emotions, were a testament to sincere storytelling. ‘Chot Dil Pe Lagi’ and the title track emerged as the most popular songs of 2003. Once again, the music became the narrator, which helped in showing human sentiments and relationships with the heartfelt songs.

Aashiqui 2 (2013)

Mohit Suri’s romantic-drama, loosely based on ‘A Star Is Born’ (1937), became a milestone in the acting careers of Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor. The film was a spiritual sequel to director-producer Mahesh Bhatt’s ‘Aashiqui’ (1990). The soul of all these films was the emotional depth of the soundtrack. ‘Aashiqui 2’ gained popularity for its songs, especially ‘Tum Hi Ho’, ‘Sun Raha Hai’, ‘Chahu Main Ya Na’ and ‘Hum Mar Jayenge’. The tragic love story of a couple yearning for solace and a stable future in their complex relationship is well documented in Irshad Kamil and Mithoon’s lyrics. Arijit Singh’s vocals only add to the passion and intensity of the heartbreak, which is the crux of Suri’s musical romance.

‘Saiyaara’ carries forward the legacy of classics like ‘Bobby’ and ‘Betaab’. It’s a sincere musical romance which doesn’t lose its engagement quotient and always finds its audience.

Be it the Indian film industry or Hollywood, ‘La La Land’, ‘Aashiqui 2’ and ‘Kaho…Naa Pyaar Hai’, have proved time and again about the universal relevance of musicals in artistry. Irrespective of their craft or quality of storytelling, musical romance remains a timeless theme in cinema.

– Ends