Sanjay Gupta praises YRF’s no-promo strategy for Saiyaara: Can we learn our lesson

In an era where film promotions often spill into overexposure, ‘Saiyaara’s’ quiet confidence has sparked a conversation. The Ahaan Panday–Aneet Padda starrer stormed into theatres with a stunning Rs 20 crore Day 1 collection – without the usual barrage of pre-release interviews, media rounds, or podcast appearances. And filmmaker Sanjay Gupta is here for it.

The ‘Kaante’ director praised the team behind the newly-released film ‘Saiyaara’, especially Yash Raj Films, for defying industry norms. “Whoever took the decision at YRF to keep the lead pair of Saiyaara away from all the pre-release interviews, appearances, and podcasts is a genius,” he wrote. “They kept alive the freshness exclusively for the big screen. And look at how it’s worked (sic),” his post on X read.

Watch the trailer of ‘Saiyaara’ here:

The film opened to an overwhelming response on July 18. ‘Saiyaara’s’ pre-release playbook was refreshingly minimal – focusing solely on its trailer and music, both of which quietly gained momentum on social media. The decision to skip the usual marketing blitz seems to have paid off, with audiences walking in with curiosity rather than pre-formed impressions.

Sanjay Gupta didn’t hold back in critiquing the industry’s long-standing dependence on overpromotion. In another post, he wrote, “Film business was running smoothly. Then corporates came and tried to rewrite the rules… One of their biggest screw-ups was P&A (Publicity & Advertising). It was purely to looto producers (sic),” suggesting that the pressure for heavy promotional spends has often hurt more than helped.

He drew a sharp contrast with the South Indian film industries, which have long prioritised content over campaign noise. “The South never followed the dumb P&A practice. They did just fine. More than fine. And then come films like ’12th Fail’ and ‘Saiyaara’ – straight to theatres. Smash hits with no PR nonsense. Can we please learn our lesson?” he urged.

Read the posts here:

Known for directing ‘Kaabil’, ‘Zinda’ and ‘Shootout at Wadala’, Gupta’s take adds weight to an ongoing debate within Bollywood – are extensive promotions becoming counterproductive?

‘Saiyaara’, directed by Mohit Suri, stars Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in the lead roles. The film outperformed its expectations, earning Rs 20.50 crore (approximately) on Day 1.