Mohit Suri and YRF celebrate first award for Saiyaara at Yellowstone Film Festival 2025

Saiyaara wins popular choice award

Yash Raj Films’ record-breaking romantic saga Saiyaara has once again won hearts, this time on the global stage.

The blockbuster, which took Indian cinema by storm, has bagged the Popular Choice Award at the Yellowstone International Film Festival 2025.

The honour was received in Mumbai by YRF CEO Akshaye Widhani and director Mohit Suri at a glittering ceremony celebrating the best of cinema from across the world.

The film introduced India’s newest Gen Z heartthrobs, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, whose on-screen chemistry has made Saiyaara a cultural phenomenon.

Their debut has drawn comparisons to the legendary launch of Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel in Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, showing that fresh love stories still have the power to capture the imagination. Fans across India and the global South Asian community embraced the film, making it a pop culture moment unlike any other.

Saiyaara has broken records at every turn: the highest-ever opening for debut actors, a title track that became the first Hindi song to feature in the Billboard Top 10 worldwide, and months atop music streaming charts. It is also the only debut film to rake in a staggering ₹580 crore globally, proving that audiences are ready to fall in love with a heartfelt story on the big screen.

Also Read: Saiyaara Movie Review: Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda shine in a tender tale of love

Accepting the award, Akshaye Widhani reflected, “Thank you Yellowstone International Film Festival – this is a great honour. It's our first award for Saiyaara, so it's really special. I think Saiyaara is Mohit, Mohit is Saiyaara. It's been an amazing journey which started early 2024 and I'm glad that we're here today celebrating this moment. I think the film, being the highest-grossing love story of all time, is a testament and a moment that makes us really proud… Thank you to the audiences globally who've loved this film, the music, and accepted our two Gen Z stars, Ahaan and Aneet, who are just exceptional. This award is for the entire cast and crew that worked tirelessly to make this film what it is.”

Director Mohit Suri added a personal note, saying, “This is really special. I’ve been around for 20 years, and this is my first award. There have been a lot of firsts with this film – the actors were doing it for the first time, I was making my first film with YRF, and Akshaye was producing his first film… In a world where no one seemed to believe in love anymore, you stood by that conviction… Their only brief was simple – Mohit, we want your best film and best music. They never talked about numbers and that gave me the freedom every filmmaker dreams of: the freedom to make the film I truly believed in.”