Director Mohit Suri Turned To Romance After Fatigue With Action Films

MUMBAI (IANS) – After a series of thrillers and action-heavy films, director Mohit Suri is returning to the romance genre with Saiyaara, set for theatrical release on July 18.

Suri said he felt disconnected from the current wave of action-driven cinema. “After making two thrillers back-to-back, I was seeing that everyone was blowing up buildings, helicopters were flying — it all started to feel the same,” he said. “I saw a great trailer, but didn’t go to watch the film. That made me think — if I couldn’t convince myself, how could I convince the audience?”

The inspiration for Saiyaara came unexpectedly, Suri revealed, when he watched The Romantics, a documentary series on the legacy of Hindi film romance. “I had no idea how much it would affect me,” he said. “It reminded me how the romantic hero emerged and evolved in Indian cinema. That’s when I told my writer — who was also my associate director — ‘Let’s write a romantic film’. We didn’t have a producer then, just the idea.”

Recalling the music production phase, Suri shared a candid anecdote involving composer Tanishk Bagchi. “The recording sessions were very serious while I was around,” he said with a laugh. “Eventually, Tanishk looked at me and said, ‘Sir, you leave now’. He knew the team was trying too hard to impress me and not expressing themselves freely. Once I left, the real fun and creativity began.”

Produced by Yash Raj Films, Saiyaara marks a genre shift for Suri, best known for Aashiqui 2, Ek Villain, and Awarapan.