The success of Saiyaara has taken the country by storm, turning debutant Ahaan Panday into an overnight sensation. In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India , the film’s casting director Shanoo Sharma opened up about how Ahaan came on board for the film and shared an interesting anecdote about him initially refusing to meet her at the age of 19.
Shanoo Sharma on Ahaan Panday refusing to meet her
Shanoo revealed that she has known Ahaan for almost nine years. “When I met him, he was a 19-year-old child who looked like he was 15! I saw a post of him doing something, found him interesting, and asked to bring him in. But he refused to come because he was tanned, looking dark, and thought we’d reject him. But the day we met, I knew it… that he and I were going to be working together.”
She added, “He has this need to constantly just do what he wants to do without any filters. He has this knack of charming you into doing what he needs-and this was there since day one. He became part of our team. He was so excited about YRF. He said, ‘I’m going to come every day.'”
Ahaan is the son of businessman Chikki Panday and wellness expert Deanne Panday, and the nephew of Bollywood actor Chunky Panday and cousin of Ananya Panday. His performance as Krrish Kapoor in Saiyaara struck a chord with audiences and was widely appreciated by critics.
About Saiyaara
Directed by Mohit Suri, the romantic musical drama stars Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in lead roles, alongside Varun Badola, Alam Khan, Rajesh Kumar, and Geeta Sharma. The film follows the story of a troubled musician who meets an aspiring journalist and poet. He turns the poems in her notebook into songs, and the two fall in love. However, fate separates them and puts their relationship to the test. Whether they reunite forms the emotional core of the film.
Saiyaara became a massive box office hit, grossing over ₹500 crore worldwide. Its strong music album, emotional depth, and youth-centric narrative played a significant role in its record-breaking run, making it one of the most successful romantic dramas in Indian cinema.