Saiyaara has emerged as a blockbuster, and it’s time to welcome the two newcomers, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, to Bollywood.

When it comes to debutants making an impact on the box office, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai tops the list, as Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel became overnight stars.

In the last 25 years, no film has come close to that hysteria, but Saiyaara may come close.

Joginder Tuteja looks at how Bollywood debuts have opened recently.

Saiyaara
Opening box office collection: Rs 22 crore (Rs 220 million)

Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda have made an instant connect with audiences in their debut film.

Their chemistry sizzled, and the hype around the film has become so huge that it took a phenomenal opening of of Rs 22 crore (Rs 220 million).

This is the biggest start ever for a newcomer movie.

Dhadak
Opening box office collection: Rs 8.71 crore (Rs 87.1 million)

Before Saiyaara, Dhadak held the record for the biggest opening since Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai.

After Student Of The Year, Karan Johar ensured a good launchpad for newcomers Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor. The film opened well and was a good success.

Student Of The Year
Opening box office collection: Rs 7.48 crore (Rs 74.8 million)

The flashiest launchpad for newcomers, Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt came together for this Karan Johar directorial and became stars.

Hero
Opening box office collection: Rs 6.85 crore (Rs 68.5 million)

Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty were launched by Salman Khan in the remake of Jackie Shroff’s Hero, directed by Nikkhil Advani.

The film was a masala entertainer and took a good start, but it could not sustain after the opening weekend and folded up soon.

Heropanti
Opening box office collection: Rs 6.63 crore (Rs 66.3 million)

Sajid Nadiadwala launched Tiger Shroff and Kriti Sanon with Heropanti, a love story drama with good music and a lot of action.

The film started well and kept up the momentum to emerge as a Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million) hit.

Azaad
Opening box office collection: 1.50 crore (Rs 15 million)

Surprisingly, there have been only a handful of newcomer hits.

Aaman Devgn and Rasha Thadani were launched earlier this year in Abhishek Kapoor’s Azaad, produced by Ajay Devgn.

The film failed to take any sort of start.

Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas
Opening box office collection: Rs 1.15 crore (Rs 11.5 million)

Sunny Deol launched elder son Karan Deol with Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, which also featured debutante Sahher Bamba.

The film didn’t ignite any excitement and so there were no takers when it hit the screens.

Ishq Vishk Rebound
Opening box office collection: Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million)

Rohit Saraf, Pashmina Roshan and Jibraan Khan came together for Ishq Vishk Rebound.

It could have worked well for teenagers but that did not happen. Despite good songs, there weren’t many takers.

Laapataa Ladies
Opening box office collection: Rs 75 lakh

The only film on this list which started really low but eventually managed to have respectable collections on the basis of positive word-of-mouth, Laapataa Ladies starred Pratibha Ranta, Nitanshi Goel and Sparsh Shrivastava.

Genius
Opening box office collection: Rs 65 lakh

Utkarsh Sharma, child actor from Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, was launched as a leading man by his father Anil Sharma in Genius.

The film also marked the debut of Ishita Chauhan.

Songs from the film are popular till date but the film, despite being promoted well, went unnoticed.

Utkarsh went on to star in the blockbuster Gadar 2 and made a good impression.