Mohit Suri on choosing Faheem Abdullah over Arijit Singh for Saiyaara title track: "I’m constantly looking for new voices"

Mohit Suri has always had a good ear for music, and he’s done it again. From giving space to voices like KK and Arijit Singh in his earlier films to now introducing a complete newcomer, Faheem, in Saiyaara, Suri continues to let music lead the way in his storytelling.

In a recent interview with NDTV, the director explained why he didn’t go with Arijit Singh, the voice that became iconic in Aashiqui 2, for the title track of Saiyaara. "Arijit represents a cinema that I did 14 years ago. I love Arijit. I did use him in one song. But when I was looking for Arijit… I love KK sir, but that wasn’t Emraan Hashmi for me in those early films. Then I found Arijit. So only when you seek, shall you find the answer”, he said.

This time, his search led him to Faheem, a new voice that carries a raw, emotional quality that fits Saiyaara perfectly. “I’m sick that way", Suri said with a laugh. “I’m constantly looking for new voices. I thought Faheem was the voice I wanted for Ahaan. You need to keep searching because that’s what keeps you relevant. Otherwise, you’re just living off yesterday’s success".

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He also spoke about the importance of taking risks on fresh talent, even in an industry that often plays it safe.

“Even when I was talking to Akshaye Widhani (YRF CEO), I said, you have to give yourself room to fail. Failing with someone established is far scarier; it means your fundamentals have changed. But failing with someone new? That’s not that bad. At least you tried something different". To this, Widhani added, “Even the success you get with someone new is so much more".

And success is exactly what they got. Saiyaara has already crossed ₹300 crore at the box office, and that too, without any massive marketing campaign. Lead actors Ahaan and Aneet stayed under the radar until the film actually hit theatres. This low-key approach was intentional, Suri shared, and it came after conversations with Widhani and YRF head Aditya Chopra.


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