'Saiyaara' star Aneet Padda on struggles; says she secretly recorded auditions; parents couldn’t afford Mumbai trips

Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda may be the fresh new stars of Mohit Suri’s romantic drama 'Saiyaara', but for Aneet, the journey to the big screen was far from easy. Hailing from Amritsar, Punjab, the actress always knew she wanted to perform but lacked the resources to chase auditions in Mumbai.

Dreaming of acting from Amritsar

The 'Saiyaara' actor recalled in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, “I always wanted to act. I would be recording auditions and locking my door, telling my parents I was doing homework…I knew I’d have to do this on my own because my parents didn’t have enough money to take me to Mumbai to audition.”



Even while completing her bachelor’s degree, Aneet Padda found ways to model in advertisements. This helped her in balancing academics with her creative ambitions.

From 'Salaam Venky' to lead roles

Aneet’s big break came with a small role in the 2022 Kajol-starrer 'Salaam Venky'. Soon after, she landed the role of 'Roohi' in the series 'Big Girls Don’t Cry', where she not only acted but also showcased her musical side. She wrote, composed, and sang an original track for the show, titled 'Masoom'.

'Saiyaara' and the breakthrough

It was with 'Saiyaara', directed by Mohit Suri, that Aneet Padda’s journey came full circle. Starring opposite Ahaan Panday, the film hit theatres on July 18 and turned both actors into overnight sensations. The movie revolves around the love story of Krrish Kapoor, a struggling musician and an aspiring journalist and poet, Vaani Batra.

In the same interview, Aneet recalled the emotional final day of shooting 'Saiyaara' where she and Ahaan were both crying even though there were several pending cover up shoots to be held for the romantic drama movie.