Following the remarkable success of Saiyaara, newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda have temporarily stepped out of the limelight. The rising stars of the romantic drama are currently abroad, enjoying a well-deserved break as their debut film continues to make a historic impact at the box office.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Mohit Suri, the director of Saiyaara, along with Akshaye Widhani, CEO of Yash Raj Films who introduced the new duo, shared insights about the young actors’ reactions. Widhani noted, “I think they are numb. It’s happening around you, but you don’t know how to react. And it’s their first film. The love that is pouring in is unreal. They’re not in the country right now, and I think that’s a good thing. Let them be normal kids for a bit. When they come back, it’s back to work.”
Mohit Suri, celebrated for crafting some of Bollywood’s most beloved love stories, mentioned that he keeps in touch with the actors daily. “Once in the morning, once at night,” he chuckled. “They keep sending me videos. They’re so happy, they’re getting recognised. For them, every day is new, and they want to share it with me. They keep asking, ‘Why aren’t you here?’ It’s very sweet.”
Suri added that the excitement being experienced by Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda reminds him of his own early career moments. “I saw this look on Emraan’s face when his first film (Footpath) released. I saw it with Aditya and Shraddha during Aashiqui 2. That mix of disbelief and pure joy. Ahaan and Aneet don’t yet know what’s coming next but they’re soaking it all in.”
