New Delhi: Ahaan Panday, a fresh face in Bollywood, became popular with his debut film Saiyaara. The film was successful in bringing new actors into the spotlight, and Ahaan’s acting received much love. But before Saiyaara, Ahaan had a different online persona on Instagram. He behaved in a way just to get noticed by filmmakers. This was not his true self, but something he adopted to work in the film industry. Now, he has shared the story behind this change and what it meant for him and his career.
Ahaan before Saiyaara
Before Saiyaara, Ahaan used Instagram to show a personality that was not really him. He admitted that he created a facade to grab attention from the people in the film industry. It was a character he thought would help him get acting jobs, but it was not genuine. He even took down his old videos before the film’s release to start fresh. His role in Saiyaara as Krish Kapoor surprised many because it was different from the kind of roles he auditioned for. He often chose soft, cheerful, positive parts. But Krish was not the typical boy-next-door character Ahaan was used to playing. In his own words, “This is not a character I thought I would do; the auditions I would do would be softer, goofier, full of energy and positivity, the boy next door. You don’t want [Krish] next door.”
Interestingly, his co-star Aneet Padda said on set everyone called her the real Krish while Ahaan was called the real Vaani, showing they both were quite different from their characters. Ahaan’s story shows how actors sometimes hide their real selves to meet industry expectations. But with Saiyaara, he could reveal his true talent and win hearts without any mask. Fans now look forward to seeing him in many diverse roles ahead.