Ahaan Panday got candid about life after Saiyaara, the pressure to deliver moving performances, and why he still identifies as a ‘workshop kid’ despite his rising stardom.
Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara (2025) was a big success that won the hearts of audiences. The film stood out for its emotional story and strong acting, quickly becoming a favorite among moviegoers. It not only fared well at the box office but also gave Ahaan Panday the breakthrough he had been waiting for.
In his latest interview with Filmfare, the actor discussed his journey after the success of Saiyaara.
Ahaan told the publication that not much had changed for him after Saiyaara. Before the film, all he thought about was cinema, and that remained true even now. He recalled how a teacher from his workshop days had once advised him not to identify too deeply with his craft, warning that it wasn’t healthy. But he would always respond that films were all he knew, the only thing that truly stimulated him. He explained that he had been living and breathing cinema then, and he continued to do so.
After Saiyaara did well, people around him expected him to change. Ahaan admitted that he was happy, especially because the film finally gave him consistent work after years of uncertainty.
“That film changed my life. But with it came a sudden weight of expectation. For a few months, I woke up with that pressure every day,” the actor candidly shared.
He expressed deep gratitude for everything that had happened since Saiyaara, often telling his mother that it felt like the highest blessing. At the same time, he admitted that the pressure to do better and to deliver performances that truly moved people had begun to feel like a burden.
On the work front, Ahaan Panday is gearing up to reunite with his Saiyaara team—director Mohit Suri and co‑star Aneet Padda—for an intense love story. He also has another exciting project lined up with Ali Abbas Zafar, where he will be seen opposite Sharvari.
