Ahaan Panday on why he took Aneet Padda to places of worship before Saiyaara release

Actor Ahaan Panday opened up about his bond with his Saiyaara co-star Aneet Padda and said he had taken her to different places of worship before the release of their super-hit romantic drama. He also admitted that the visits were not meant to pray for a hit.

Ahaan, while speaking to Filmfare, said that, as newcomers, he and Aneet did not expect people to turn up for the film. He recalled that they only hoped Saiyaara would recover its cost so that they could continue getting work and keep doing what they loved.

Speaking about their time on set, Ahaan said he and Aneet had fun making the film despite its grim story. He also praised her and said he would call her a ‘senior’ because she seemed to know what she was doing.

"I remember taking her to different places of worship, just praying, not for a hit but simply that the film would recover its cost so we could keep getting work and continue doing what we love," he added.

Ahaan also recalled how he and Aneet reacted when audiences began turning up in large numbers to watch Saiyaara. He said someone from the direction team sent them a video on the morning of the release showing people waiting outside a theatre, and he found it hard to believe.

While speaking about the moment, Ahaan said, "Then on the morning of the release, someone from the direction team sent us a video of people waiting outside a theatre. I couldn’t believe it. I said, 'This can’t be for our film'."

"Bro, it is. I called Aneet, I called Mohit sir, asking, 'Is this real?' And he said, 'Yeah, it’s happening. People are actually watching the film'. After that, it was just two months of pure shock," the actor added.

Saiyaara theatrically released on July 18, 2026. The film reportedly earned Rs 581 crore worldwide.