Saiyaara could have ended differently, here’s how ChatGPT reimagined the story

The romantic drama Saiyaara, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, has become a major box office hit, collecting over ₹306 crore in India. The movie is loved for its beautiful story, soulful music, and especially its happy ending. But did you know that the movie was almost given a tragic climax?

In a recent interview, the film's screenwriter Sankalp Sadanah revealed that the makers of Saiyaara had once seriously considered a completely different ending—where both the lead characters die. Surprisingly, this suggestion came from ChatGPT, the AI chatbot, and was even supported by the film's director Mohit Suri at one point.

The original plan, as it turns out, wasn’t always to give the audience a feel-good ending. The makers struggled to decide how the love story should conclude. While the rest of the movie was written smoothly, the climax remained unclear until very late in the writing process.

ChatGPT’s suggestion shocked the team

Speaking to Komal Nahta on his YouTube show, Sankalp Sadanah shared that the team was unsure about how to end the story. “We had written the full plot, but we didn’t know how it should finish,” he said. His assistant at the time, Chetan Naidu, casually asked ChatGPT how a director like Mohit Suri might end such a love story.

The AI responded with a heartbreaking suggestion: both the hero and heroine should die at the end. This idea surprised the team. But given the emotional weight of the film and the health condition of the female lead character in the story, Mohit Suri actually thought that a tragic ending might work better.

However, after discussing it further, the team finally decided to go with a hopeful and romantic climax, which was loved by fans across the country. The happy ending made the film more appealing to a wide audience and helped it do better at the box office.

The film is backed by Yash Raj Films, known for producing many successful romantic dramas. Directed by Mohit Suri, the movie was praised not only for its emotional storytelling but also for its music, which played a big role in the film's success.

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Box office numbers and star debuts

Released in theatres a few weeks ago, Saiyaara has been doing extremely well at the box office. On its third Wednesday, it collected around ₹2 crore, bringing the total to ₹306.60 crore in India alone. It is one of the biggest romantic hits of the year and continues to receive positive responses from fans.

What also makes Saiyaara special is that it marked the acting debut of both Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in lead roles. Ahaan, who comes from a film family, made a strong first impression with his performance. Aneet Padda, who earlier had a small role in Salaam Venky alongside Kajol and Vishal Jethwa, played the female lead for the first time in this film.

Their chemistry in the movie was widely appreciated, and many viewers felt emotionally connected to their characters. This helped in making the movie a massive hit, especially among young audiences.

A story that almost ended in tears

It’s quite interesting to think that such a popular romantic film almost had a sad ending, where both lovers died. In Indian cinema, such endings are rare for mainstream films, especially when aiming for large-scale commercial success. A tragic conclusion might have added emotional depth, but it could also have made the film less successful at the box office.

The final decision to go with a happy ending seems to have worked perfectly. It left audiences smiling and made the film more re-watchable. The success of Saiyaara proves that even though AI can come up with creative ideas, the human touch in storytelling is still very important.

Saiyaara has not just delivered a box office hit, but also given two promising actors a solid start in Bollywood. The story behind its ending shows how film writing is full of challenges and last-minute changes. With suggestions even coming from an AI like ChatGPT, it’s clear that technology is becoming a part of the creative process.

Still, the final decision rested with the team, and they chose an ending that resonated with millions. Whether sad or happy, the story of Saiyaara continues to win hearts and will be remembered for its emotions, music, and star-making performances.