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Life + Culture

Watching Saiyaara ≠ Losing Your Shirt: A PSA

From shirtless sobbing to emotional outbursts louder than the Dolby sound system, fans have turned these screenings into viral spectacles and not in a good way.

| Ekta Sinha
saiyaara

Let’s set the scene: You’ve walked into the theatre with popcorn in hand, hoping to catch Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara, starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. The lights dim, the songs are playing, and just as the beat hits... the guy next to you rips off his shirt, howls like a banshee, and starts screaming at the screen.

Congratulations, you’ve just entered the Cringe Cinematic Universe, where every screening is part film, part frat party, and part open mic night for unprocessed emotions. While the movie itself may be peak Bollywood heartbreak for some people (we listen and we don't judge), what’s happening in the theatre feels like a full-blown public breakdown. From shirtless sobbing to emotional outbursts louder than the Dolby sound system, fans have turned these screenings into viral spectacles and not in a good way.

So let’s talk about it. The hype, the howling, the etiquette that’s clearly gone out the window—and why being that guy in the theatre isn’t fandom, it’s just… very strange.

What Is Going On?

Online clips from Saiyaara screenings show grown men wailing, dry-humping armrests, and angrily screaming at the villain as if he had ghosted their actual Tinder match. While the film doles out heartbreak, audiences are dishing out full-blown chaos.

Don’t heckle. Don’t strip. Don’t scream. Just... enjoy the damn movie.

Whether it’s performance, fan drama, or just peak desi overreaction, one thing’s clear: theatre etiquette has left the chat.

The Difference Between Feeling the Film & Hijacking It

To be clear, we love a good, emotional, collective cinema moment. Clap during the credits, cry during the climax, cheer when the villain gets decked. But there’s a difference between being moved by a film and becoming the film’s main character in public. You’re not the protagonist, please calm down.

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PSA: Theatre Etiquette For the Emotionally Overstimulated

Before you lose your shirt (literally), here’s a handy guide to not ruining the movie for everyone else:

1. Your Shirt Stays On, Champ

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No matter how many exes this movie reminds you of, resist the urge to Hulk out. This isn’t an India-Pakistan match. It’s a film. 

2. Save the Commentary for the Group Chat

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Your hot take doesn’t need a live broadcast. Talking through scenes, yelling punchlines, or providing dramatic voiceovers? Pass.

3. Screaming ≠ Support

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Yes, cinema can be emotional. No, you don’t need to howl like a werewolf. Other people are here to feel things too, quietly.

4. Keep the PDA (Public Display of Angst) Low-Key

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Rolling on the floor in heartbreak or dramatically slapping the seat in front of you is not catharsis. It’s just theatre terrorism.

5. No Reels, No Flashes, No “Bro Look at This”

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Recording during a film? Illegal. Distracting. Want content? Review it after the show. On mute, preferably.

6. Respect the Vibe

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Romantic film? Don’t make it a riot. Horror flick? Don’t try slapstick. Comedy? Laugh, don’t cackle like a possessed hyena. Read the room.

So Next Time...

Here’s the thing: loving a movie doesn’t mean hijacking it. You can feel Saiyaara deep in your soul without becoming its unofficial backup dancer. The best audience is one that listens, laughs, sobs, and sometimes—even just sits still.

So the next time you're tempted to start your own breakup flash mob during a sad montage, pause. Breathe. And remember: good cinema deserves good audiences. Not main-character energy with a side of chaos.

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