Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara has turned Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda into overnight sensations, drawing audiences back to theatres with a refreshing story and powerful performances. While the film’s lead characters, Krish Kapoor and Vaani, won hearts across the country, the real personalities of the newcomers seem far from what fans have seen on screen.
In their first joint interview after the film’s release, Ahaan opened up about why he deleted his old TikTok-style videos and Instagram content before debuting in Saiyaara.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India, he said, “The persona I had on Instagram was never who I really was. It was who I thought I needed to be to get attention from the film fraternity so that I could get work. It was a personality I adopted.” Director Mohit Suri had earlier described Ahaan as a “full, out-there, Gaiety Galaxy boy,” but the actor insists his real nature is far more different.
Talking about his role as Krish, Ahaan admitted, “This is not a character I thought I would do. The auditions I gave were usually softer, goofier, full of energy and positivity, the boy next door. You don’t want Krish next door.”
Aneet Padda, who played the shy poet Vaani, revealed the irony of their casting. “Everyone on set would say I’m the real Krish and he’s the real Vaani, because we’re the opposites of our characters,” she laughed.