How one movie won the big screen with careful marketing to a Gen Z audience.
You’ve seen the posters. You’ve seen people crying in the videos. You’ve heard the song on the reels. And if by some luck, you’ve somehow managed to avoid the relentless social media hype, congrats! You’re in the minority.
Saiyaara, Bollywood’s much-hyped 2025 release, felt like it came out of nowhere and suddenly was everywhere.
But the thing is, it wasn’t the film’s plot or acting that brought it to your screens—it was pure PR muscle.
With teaser drops styled like K-pop comebacks, artificially gossip campaigns, and YouTube edits that hijacked YouTube shorts, Saiyaara pulled every Gen Z marketing lever in the book. And for a while, it worked. The film generated strong early box-office numbers and had influencers lining up for invitations.
But here’s the problem with smoke and mirrors: they only work if there’s something worth seeing once the fog clears.
What started as a masterclass in digital buzz may end up a cautionary tale in overhype. Because no matter how good the marketing… a copied story can’t hold attention for long.
The Buzz Before the Boom
Before Saiyara even had a trailer, it had a narrative. Instagram filters, Gen Z buzzwords, and emotional Instagram reels from the cast. The film’s team leaned heavily into “vibe marketing”—strategic leaks, teaser soundbites, and social-first storytelling that made it look like the next big movement. With minimal reveals, they let fandom speculation do the heavy lifting. And it worked. From college meme pages to Bollywood gossip forums, Saiyara became a “must-watch” even before audiences knew what they were watching.
But here’s the thing: building buzz is easy when you make the audience do the work. Keeping that buzz alive? Not so much.
Manufactured Authenticity
Saiyara’s PR campaign was textbook “relatability marketing.” Carefully placed interviews gave the impression of a grassroots indie film “made for the youth, by the youth.” Influencers called it the “voice of a generation.”
But scratch the surface, and things felt… off. The film’s emotional hook? Almost algorithmically designed to trend on TikTok. Authenticity? It’s taken from a Korean Drama. It wasn’t a real connection; it was a strategy masquerading as soul. Soon, we will also see people realising the hollowness of the film.
When Hype Outruns Honesty
What Saiyara teaches us is simple: you can market anything into existence, but only for a while. The marketing machine behind Saiyara deserves applause. It got the job done. But in the long run, no amount of buzz can cover up a hollow core. Films might start with PR, but they survive on story.
Saiyara is a case study. A lesson in how short-term wins will come at the cost of long-term credibility. For marketers and filmmakers alike, this is the age of emotional intelligence, not emotional manipulation. You can fake a campaign, but not a connection. And in the end, the audience always writes the real ending.
Opinion By: Sushrut Tewari,
A writer covering trends, innovation, and brand storytelling in India and beyond.
