Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda have turned into stars overnight as their film ‘Saiyaara’ hit the screens on Friday, July 18. In just five days, Mohit Suri’s directorial has pulled in over ₹132 crore at the Indian box office, with a staggering ₹24 crore and ₹25 crore collected on its first Monday and Tuesday respectively. The film is expected to cross Rs 150 crore on day 6 which is Wednesday. Not only are the newcomers holding their own, but they’re also shaking up the box office performance of films headlined by veterans like Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan. What’s equally surprising is the largely positive reception they’ve received—rare for star kids in the current social media climate, with very minimal trolling or criticism. Actor Rajesh Kumar, who plays Aneet’s father in Saiyaara, recently opened up about his experience working with the two fresh faces. Speaking to Galatta, he revealed,“I told both Aneet and Ahaan that make me meet your parents. I just went and thanked them for bringing them up so well and that is what is reflecting on screen. They are not corrupted. Having said that, there is a long way for them to go.” For those not in the know, Rajesh is known for playing the iconic character of Rosesh from ‘Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai’. Recalling the first day on set, Rajesh shared a touching memory about Ahaan’s debut shot. He said, “Ahaan was so nervous before his first shot. We shot that together. The ones who have watched the film will remember the scene where he quietly hands me a bag. That was his first shot for the film. But, he did it so well in just the third take. After the shot ended, people clapped for him and then he felt relaxed.” Talking about Aneet, Rajesh recounted how her roots helped him with his role He said, “When I was first introduced to Aneet, Mohit told me she will solve my Punjabi problem in case I want to stick to that language for that movie as we are Batras in it. And then till the time we were shooting together, she would speak to me in hardcore Punjabi. She asked me to call her ‘puttu’ in place of beta in the movie.” Rajesh also praised the new generation of actors for their level of preparation and professionalism. “The new generation of actors are extremely groomed. They are pake hue, manjhe hue kalakaar. Barring a few, who might have not prepared as much. But the number of newcomers I have worked with are ready for the market, and Bollywood. I can tell you that these are the faces who are going to be relevant for the coming 25-30 years. Their ability to adapt things is exceptional. And these are the actors who have worked hard for success,” he said. He added that despite the massive success of Saiyaara, both Ahaan and Aneet will remain grounded. He said, “If you look into Aneet’s interviews, you will see that she is yet to believe that her film is working wonders. When people realise things late, success doesn’t take over them. These people are so grounded that I don’t think Aneet or Ahaan will ever be a ‘nakchade’ (snooty) stars. They will be sought after actors.” Opening up on the film’s success, Rajesh credited the trust and dedication behind the scenes. He said, “Mohit would wait until he got the shot he had visualised. Every time we took a shot for over four times, Ahaan would walk forward and apologise. He didn’t have a ‘give up’ attitude. This film was all about trust. This film was all about YRF believing in Mohit Suri. And Mohit Suri believing in this new couple and the supporting cast. We never thought it would be a blockbuster.”
