‘Saiyaara’ was one of the most talked-about movies of 2025 not just because it did well at the box office, but also because it introduced two new actors, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, who quickly became popular. The makers chose to keep the lead actors away from the spotlight, even after the film’s release, and focused more on promoting the story and music. The idea worked well, as the curiosity around Ahaan and Aneet brought more people to theatres.
Mohit Suri says Shah Rukh Khan praised his approach
Director Mohit Suri recently mentioned that Shah Rukh Khan had praised the team’s unique promotional approach. In his interview with Variety India, Suri explained that the newcomers took part in some activities but stayed away from the usual round of interviews and marketing campaigns. He shared, “They were doing their bit but not the regular interviews and marketing and other stuff. This is not a PR thing. The great Shah Rukh Khan, when he met me at Siddharth Anand’s Diwali party, said this is the best thing we did.”
He added, “Because we didn’t have stars, we concentrated on making great music. We spent more time promoting the music. We did not promote it through interviews or by sending the actors out like everyone does. We spent that money on pushing the music instead. And it all paid back. It all went very authentic.”
Mohit Suri on casting Ahaan Panday in ‘Saiyaara’
Despite Aditya Chopra recommending him, Ahaan still had to work hard to earn his spot in the film. Talking about the casting process, Mohit Suri shared, “So, I met this boy and Adi (Aditya Chopra) sir told me, ‘He is your character. He is Krish Kapoor.’ And they never let me meet him in the YRF office. He was told, ‘Go meet him in your office.’ And my office is not like a corporate office. It’s like a pad.”
Mohit Suri recalls initially rejecting Ahaan Panday
Mohit asked Ahaan to visit him at his personal workspace, a cozy spot where the filmmaker usually writes and creates music. But even after a few meetings, Mohit wasn’t convinced that Ahaan fit the role and decided to turn him down. Recalling that phase, he said, “It’s like a den where I sit and write. It’s a simple two bedroom apartment with a garden outside, where I can do my writing and my music and stuff like that. And he comes there, and I didn’t find him like Krish Kapoor at all. I found him to be a sweet, really soft boy. So I told Adi sir, ‘He is not the kind of guy.’ And we did spend two or three meetings where I had actually completely rejected him.”
