
Saiyaara Director Mohit Suri Reveals Why Aneet Padda Was Chosen: 'She Was Untouched By...'
Mohit Suri reveals why he cast Aneet Padda in Saiyaara, sharing that her natural look and authentic vibe stood out in an age of cosmetic alterations.
Filmmaker Mohit Suri has opened up about the process of casting Big Girls Don't fame Aneet Padda in Saiyaara, where she stars opposite debutant Ahaan Panday. While the film is basking in audience love and raking in impressive box office numbers, Suri reveals that finding Aneet wasn't an easy task—it took nearly five months.
In a conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Mohit shared that the role demanded a young woman between 20 to 22 years old, someone untouched by cosmetic procedures—something he admitted was 'rare in today's age."
'That was a major requirement," he said. 'I didn't expect it to be such a bigger requirement. Not only that, I needed someone who felt real, someone who hadn't something to themselves. She had done some work before, and she was brilliant at it."
Mohit said Aneet's authenticity made her perfect for the role of a middle-class Punjabi girl from Amritsar. 'She just fit right in," he said, adding, 'We often have the wrong idea of what small-town India is like—they're actually more conventionally 'out there' than we are. She had more to share with me than I had with her."
Aneet reportedly auditioned for several filmmakers prior to Saiyaara, including Anurag Kashyap and Kunal Deshmukh. Even YRF's casting head Shanoo Sharma had vouched for her talent. 'That's when I knew she was good," Mohit said.
As for her performance, Suri believes Aneet is 'predominantly a great actor," especially for the layered role she was entrusted with in the emotionally charged romantic drama.
Meanwhile, Saiyaara has proved to be a sleeper hit at the box office. According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film collected ₹24 crore on its second day (Saturday), taking its two-day total to ₹45 crore. It opened with ₹21 crore on Day 1, surpassing the collections of big-budget projects like Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par, Akshay Kumar's Kesari Chapter 2, and Ajay Devgn's Raid 2.
Aneet Padda and Ahaan Panday's chemistry and Mohit Suri's signature emotional storytelling have clearly struck a chord with audiences across the country.
First Published:
July 20, 2025, 17:14 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
17 minutes ago
- Time of India
Aamir Khan's team drops heartfelt review of Mohit Suri's 'Saiyaara' : 'Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda shine in their debut'
Aamir Khan has shared a heartwarming post appreciating the makers of 'Saiyaara', starring Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in the lead roles. In a heartfelt message shared by his team on social media, Aamir extended his appreciation to the film's cast and crew. "Congratulations to the entire team of Saiyaara on its remarkable theatrical success! Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda shine in their debut with such grace and depth. " He also took a moment to applaud the creative forces behind the film. " Mohit Suri brings his signature intensity and passion to the film, and full credit to YRF for championing this melodious and heartfelt story," the note concluded. 'Saiyaara' Receives Love Across the Industry The film has attracted praise from across the industry. Its compelling narrative, evocative music, and assured direction by Mohit Suri have struck a chord with both audiences and Bollywood insiders. Ameesha Patel On 'Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai' vs Saiyaara: 'Took 25 Years For A Comparison!' Karan Johar, Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Ananya Panday , Arjun Kapoor, Mahesh Babu, Shraddha Kapoor , and Ranveer Singh have all shared heartfelt reviews of the movie. Box Office Success Saiyaara, which hit theatres on July 18, earned Rs 21 crore on its opening day. According to Sacnilk, it has now grossed around Rs 132 crore. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She's 75 and Retiring - Her Handcrafted Jewelry Is 80% OFF Artisan Weekly Read More Undo About Saiyaara The film features Ananya Panday's cousin, Ahaan Panday, in his debut performance. The young actor has been receiving praise for his mature portrayal. Director Mohit Suri admitted that he hadn't expected the movie to become a box office hit. Initially planned as 'Aashiqui 3', the project eventually evolved into a standalone film with fresh faces. Aamir Khan's Work Front On the work front, Aamir Khan is currently gearing up for the release of 'Coolie', in which he stars alongside Rajinikanth.


Pink Villa
an hour ago
- Pink Villa
Box Office: Metro In Dino is steady in third week, collects Rs 47.50 crore in 20 days
Metro In Dino, directed by Anurag Basu, has slowed down ever since Mohit Suri's sensational Saiyaara released in cinemas. However, the movie is still gaining traction, albeit on a lower level. Metro In Dino clocks Rs 60 lakh on 3rd Tuesday, nears Rs 50 crore mark The romantic drama, featuring multiple love stories of all ages, has impressed the audience but received a decent box office response. The movie scored over Rs 25.45 crore in its opening week, followed by Rs 16.25 crore in the second week. Further, it collected Rs 4.7 crore in the third weekend, while facing the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda starrer Saiyaara. The movie further collected Rs 50 lakh on the third Monday. As per estimates, the movie witnessed a slight jump on Tuesday and collected Rs 60 lakh, thanks to discounted ticket prices. Starring an ensemble cast including Aditya Roy Kapur, Ali Fazal, Sara Ali Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Pankaj Tripathi, Konkona, Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, the romantic drama is now heading towards its end at the box office. It is expected to wind its theatrical run around Rs 50 crore net at the Indian box office. Metro In Dino has emerged as a successful venture, with its steady hold over the weeks. Day/Week-wise box office collections of Dino are: Dino plays in theaters Dino is playing in theaters now. You can book your tickets for the movie from the box office or from online ticketing applications. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates. Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our research. The figures can be approximate, and Pinkvilla does not make any claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are adequately indicative of the box-office performance of the films in question.


Pink Villa
an hour ago
- Pink Villa
Box Office: Saiyaara on the way to create history, benefits from discounted Tuesday to collect Rs 25 crore on Day 5
Saiyaara is doing wonders at the box office. Starring two newcomers, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, the romantic drama turned out to be a juggernaut blockbuster at the box office in its opening weekend alone. And now, the Mohit Suri -directed film has recorded another massive business day, thanks to discounted prices. Saiyaara nets Rs 25 crore on Day 5, encashes on discounted Tuesday Bankrolled by Yash Raj Films, Saiyaara debuted with a phenomenal Rs 21.25 crore net on its opening day. The movie witnessed a solid growth on Saturday and Sunday, collecting Rs 25.75 crore and Rs 35 crore, respectively. It stormed past the Rs 80 crore net mark in its opening weekend. What many assumed was that Saiyaara is just another weekend film; it surprised with a good jump on the first Monday over its opening day, ending up making Rs 23 crore. According to estimates, the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda starrer has benefited from subsidized ticket prices and earned a whopping Rs 25 crore on Day 5. It faced capacity constraints in several properties and registered a record occupancy throughout the day. The total cumulative box office collection of Saiyaara now stands at an outstanding figure of Rs 130 crore net in just five days of its theatrical run. Day-wise box office collections of Saiyaara are as follows: Saiyaara will continue to gain traction, as the movie has already registered solid pre-sales for Wednesday, despite ticket prices returning to normalcy. It will be interesting to see whether the movie can score another Rs 20 crore plus day tomorrow or not. The Mohit Suri film is now a historical blockbuster, which has a long way to go and is poised to shatter all previous records in its genre. Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.