Saiyaara

Album: Saiyaara (2025)
Charted: 65
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Saiyaara is a 2025 Hindi-language romantic musical drama directed by Mohit Suri. The film follows the lives of Krish Kapoor, a gifted but tormented musician, and Vaani Batra, a soft-spoken journalist-poet recovering from heartbreak and suffering from early-onset Alzheimer's. After Vaani mysteriously vanishes, Krish writes and releases "Saiyaara" in her memory. The song becomes a global sensation, pulling heartstrings across continents and eventually tugging Vaani's own memory back into place. It all culminates in a tearjerking reunion and marriage.
  • The word "Saiyaara" is a beautiful and poetic term with roots in both Urdu and Arabic. It traditionally means a star or a planet that moves across the sky. The word can also be interpreted to mean a "wayfarer," someone who travels alone but is still radiant and full of light.

    In the context of the movie Saiyaara, the title was chosen for its emotional and poetic depth, to reflect themes of longing, eternal love, and the emotional distance between the main characters. The idea of a lonely, wandering star is a central metaphor for the film's storyline.
  • Bollywood composer Tanishk Bagchi composed "Saiyaara" with creative contributions from its singer, Faheem Abdullah, and also Arslan Nizami, with lyrics penned by poet and lyricist Irshad Kamil.
  • Faheem Abdullah is a singer, composer, and songwriter from Srinagar in Kashmir. He and his collaborator, Arslan Nizami, took a leap of faith by moving to Mumbai. Their efforts paid off when director Mohit Suri, captivated by Abdullah's unique and fresh voice, chose him to sing for the Saiyaara movie, favoring him over established artists like Arijit Singh.
  • "Saiyaara" was a huge worldwide hit, topping streaming charts like Spotify's Global 50. Its success earned Faheem a multi-project deal with India's leading music label, T-Series.
  • "Saiyaara" became the first song from a Bollywood film to enter the Official UK Singles Chart when it debuted at #73 in August 2025.

    Historically, Indian-flavored tracks have flirted with UK chart success: Panjabi MC's "Mundian To Bach Ke" hit #5 in 2002 (though it wasn't born of Bollywood, even if it later appeared in the Bollywood movie Boom). Songs like Raghav's "Angel Eyes," The Rishi Rich Project's "Dance with You (Nachna Tere Naal)" and Jay Sean's "Eyes on You" have each carved out chart space with South Asian sounds, but none of them came from a film soundtrack.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Zakk Wylde

Zakk WyldeSongwriter Interviews

When he was playing Ozzfest with Black Label Society, a kid told Zakk he was the best Ozzy guitarist - Zakk had to correct him.

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Greg Lake of Emerson, Lake & PalmerSongwriter Interviews

Greg talks about writing songs of "universal truth" for King Crimson and ELP, and tells us about his most memorable stage moment (it involves fireworks).

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song Spoofs

A Monster Ate My Red Two: Sesame Street's Greatest Song SpoofsSong Writing

When singers started spoofing their own songs on Sesame Street, the results were both educational and hilarious - here are the best of them.

Christmas Songs

Christmas SongsFact or Fiction

Rudolf, Bob Dylan and the Singing Dogs all show up in this Fact or Fiction for seasonal favorites.

Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers

Bill Medley of The Righteous BrothersSongwriter Interviews

Medley looks back on "Unchained Melody" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" - his huge hits from the '60s that were later revived in movies.