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Mohit Suri’s Musical Magic: How Faheem Abdullah Became Saiyaara’s Heartbeat

Swarnadwip Nath Published Aug 03, 2025, 05:24 PM Updated Sep 17, 2026, 07:44 PM

In a Bollywood industry that loves sticking with proven hitmakers, director Mohit Suri has long been known for trusting his gut with voices that define eras. This time, for his tentpole romantic drama Saiyaara, he sidestepped serial chartbuster Arijit Singh and handed the film’s title track to a relative newcomer: indie singer Faheem Abdullah. The result? A soundtrack now topping global charts and a fresh face—and voice—at the heart of India’s latest musical movement.

A Risk that Reshaped the Soundtrack

In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Suri explained his bold choice. “Arijit represents a cinema I did 14 years ago. I have great admiration for him—he does feature on another track—but for Saiyaara’s title song, I was hungry for something unexpected. I’m obsessed with finding new voices; it’s a constant pursuit.” Suri’s words underline not just a personal artistic evolution, but a willingness to court creative risk for the sake of freshness.

To industry insiders, this isn’t out of character for the Aashiqui 2 director, who once propelled both KK and Arijit Singh himself into the Bollywood mainstream. His instincts have turned film music into pop culture, and with Faheem’s voice leading Saiyaara, he’s made another star. “Only when you seek, shall you find the answer,” Suri mused about his tendency to upend audience expectations.

Why Not Arijit (Again)?

It would have been the safe choice. Suri’s last massive romantic hit (Aashiqui 2, 2013) launched Arijit Singh into legend, and the star is no less beloved today. “But when you keep choosing the same voice, you risk relying on nostalgia instead of serving the story and the present moment,” Suri explained. He likened his journey to finding the right voice to casting a leading actor—sometimes the magic is in what’s new.

Suri also mentioned the importance of creative evolution. “You must allow yourself the possibility of failure. Risk with a new artist is less scary, and if it works, it’s much more rewarding.”

The Faheem Effect—Standing Out in a Sea of Sound

Faheem Abdullah, a Kashmiri indie artist, brought a distinctly raw yet evocative vocal quality to Saiyaara’s title track. Music composers Tanishk Bagchi and Arslan Nizami co-built the sonic bed. The result was a heady blend—lush, contemporary, with a touch of the Valley in its texture. The song has now gone viral, lauded by critics and fans for its emotion and unique sound.

Reviews across major outlets echo this excitement:

“The film’s emotional core finds a match in its evocative music by Faheem Abdullah… the title song and the beautifully shot Tum Ho Toh, sung by Vishal Mishra, are personal picks.”—Hindustan Times

“Saiyaara’s title track, written by Irshad Kamil and sung by Abdullah, has become the first Bollywood song to break into Spotify’s Global Top 50, a Gen Z romance anthem and a global phenomenon.”—NDTV

“It’s only when you take risks like this that new voices truly shine.” —Akshaye Widhani, CEO, Yash Raj Films

A New Model for Bollywood Soundtracks?

The Saiyaara soundtrack, released on July 4, 2025, is a genre-defying, multi-composer affair—featuring not only Faheem, but also industry giants like Arijit Singh, Shilpa Rao, Vishal Mishra, and Jubin Nautiyal. Yet it’s the fresh voices that have truly captured the zeitgeist.

Suri’s strategy was simple: “I wanted music that reflects my current journey, not what I did last decade.” And it’s working—the film has drawn critical and commercial praise, grossing over ₹217 crore in just nine days, triggering a wave of covers, reels, and even AI-powered remixes of Faheem’s original vocals into legends like Kishore Kumar.

The Heart of a Love Story

Saiyaara itself is a classic Mohit Suri heartbreak: the story of two young lovers facing harsh realities and, ultimately, personal transformation. But, as always, it’s the music that transforms the journey into something universal.

With Faheem Abdullah at its core, Saiyaara shows that sometimes the newest voice is exactly what an age-old genre needs. And—for once—Bollywood’s musical future sounds thrillingly, heartbreakingly new.

Sources: News18:, Rolling Stone India, NDTV:, Wikipedia, The Tribune, YouTube

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