Mohit Suri has, once again, shown an uncanny knack for discovering new musical talent. Over the years, he’s been the one to introduce voices like KK and Arijit Singh to his films, shaping the soundscape of an entire era.
Now, with Saiyaara, Suri has taken a leap of faith on a complete newcomer, Faheem, allowing the music to take centre stage before anything else.
Why did Mohit Suri not sign Arijit Singh for Saiyaara?
In a conversation with NDTV, Mohit Suri spoke candidly about his decision not to bring back Arijit Singh—the voice so closely associated with his 2013 hit, Aashiqui 2—for Saiyaara’s title track. “Arijit represents a kind of cinema I made fourteen years ago. I have great respect for him, and he does feature on one track in the film. But at that time, I was searching for something different. I loved KK, but he wasn’t the right fit for Emraan Hashmi in those days. Eventually, I found Arijit. If you keep looking, you’ll find what you need,” Suri explained, reflecting on his evolving approach to music.
This ongoing search for the right sound eventually led Suri to Faheem. It’s Faheem’s unpolished, emotional delivery that now defines Saiyaara’s music.
Suri didn’t shy away from admitting his obsession with fresh voices: “I’m always looking for something new. For Ahaan’s character, Faheem’s voice just felt right. You have to keep searching—that’s how you stay relevant. Otherwise, you’re just stuck repeating old successes.”
Mohit Suri: You need to allow yourself to fail sometimes
Taking risks on new talent isn’t easy, especially in an industry built on established names. Mohit Suri addressed this directly, recalling his discussions with Akshaye Widhani, CEO of YRF. “You need to allow yourself to fail sometimes. If you fail with someone established, it shakes your foundation. But with someone new, there’s less at stake—you’re at least trying something original.” Widhani agreed, noting that the success of a newcomer means even more.
In the case of Saiyaara, that gamble has paid off. The film has grossed nearly ₹300 crore at the box office, and it did so without the usual fanfare—no influencer campaigns, no barrage of pre-release interviews, and no aggressive marketing. Both debut leads, Ahaan and Aneet, remained virtually unknown until the film’s release.
This low-profile approach wasn’t an accident. Suri, along with Widhani and YRF head Aditya Chopra, made a deliberate choice to keep the campaign quiet. “Until the actors have real stories to share, the conversation always turns to trivialities. It becomes pointless,” Suri told Just Too Filmy.