YRF’s new romantic drama Saiyaara has taken everyone by surprise at the box office. It has already delivered one of the best opening weekends for a Hindi film in 2025 and is being declared a hit by several trade experts. Directed by Mohit Suri, the film is even being called 'revolutionary' for drawing audiences back to cinemas for a romantic drama starring newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, at a time when box office success is usually reserved for historical propaganda pieces or action-packed masala entertainers. ‘Saiyaara’ Public Review: Audience Calls Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda Film Entertaining After Slow First Half.

At the box office, Saiyaara has reportedly netted INR 82 crore in its opening weekend on a reported budget of INR 60 crore, which certainly makes it a commercial success. But more than the numbers, what’s catching attention is the bizarre theatre behaviour that’s emerged since the release - videos of fans dancing in front of the screen during the end credits, a man removing his shirt and screaming, and even footage of someone allegedly fainting during the film.

Is this really the result of a film’s emotional and musical impact, or is it a carefully orchestrated PR stunt aimed at boosting social media traction?

Viral Audience Reactions After Watching 'Saiyaara'

Wtaf is this

A Guy Loses His Shirt, Lies on Floor and Then Gets Up and Thumps His Chest

Fans Cheering and Dancing in Front of Screen

Viewers Crying and Fainting After Watching the Movie

People Losing Their Emotional Shite

Fan Screaming At The Screen

Another Fan Screaming Obscenities at the Screen Over a Fight Scene

While these over-the-top reactions might suggest deep emotional engagement from fans, many online users are calling out the behaviour as performative and attention-seeking. The timing and nature of the viral videos have led to speculation that they’re part of a calculated campaign to generate FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and drive more people to the theatres. ‘Saiyaara’ Movie Review: Old-School Tropes Meets Gen-Z Casting in Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda’s Kitschy Romantic Drama.

There’s no denying that such videos are boosting Saiyaara's post-release PR and creating plenty of buzz. But the glorification of this kind of behaviour might come at a cost. For regular moviegoers who simply want to enjoy a film in peace, the experience is being compromised. What was once considered disruptive during a theatre experience - talking on phones, recording scenes with full brightness - is now being overshadowed by people shouting at the screen or recording frenzied reactions with their flash on.

In the end, whether these antics are spontaneous or staged, they are reshaping the moviegoing experience - possibly for the worse. If every major release becomes an excuse for performative chaos in theatres, we risk alienating audiences who still view cinema as a communal yet respectful experience.

Saiyaara may have won at the box office, but it also opens up a conversation about the kind of fan culture we’re encouraging in the age of viral moments - remember when Chhaava came out and videos flooded on social media of people taking oaths, riding a horse into the theatre and shouting obscenities in the theatre against an emperor who has been dead and buried for centuries? Or during Sikandar, some were bursting crackers in a theatre hall? Expect more such behaviour to happen for future movies if social media and the producers do not amplify such antics.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 21, 2025 02:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).