Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda made history last year with Saiyaara, the highest-grossing Indian film led by newcomers. In Mohit Suri’s romantic drama, they played Krish and Vaani, who have since emerged as the poster couple for Gen Z romance. The actors recently also won the Best Breakthrough New Actor honours at Chetak Screen Awards 2026. In an exclusive interview with SCREEN, Ahaan and Aneet discuss their claim to fame, representing a rebellious generation, upcoming projects, and becoming the new brand ambassadors of Pepsi.
The Gen-Z lapped up Saiyaara at a time when action films were doing big numbers. Why do you think they were craving for love on screen?
Ahaan: I honestly feel love stories never really disappeared. They just have a certain moment when they come back. I also strongly feel it had nothing to do with the genre or the type of film. It had more to do with honesty. The audience was craving for honesty, and we were lucky we got the opportunity to show our honesty about love. Saiyaara clicked because it let people sit with those feelings. People are craving something real, and when they see something real, they see themselves in those characters’ shoes.
Aneet: What people connected with is how emotionally unguarded both Krish and Vaani were because they weren’t trying to be ideal versions of love. They were messy, vulnerable, and still figuring things out in real time. Ahaan as Krish had this intensity and persistence that was very raw, while Vaani came from a place of quiet strength and emotional clarity. It’s that contrast that made their dynamic feel very real.
Aneet Padda and Ahan Panday’s Saiyaara was the surprise hit from last year.
What do you think it’s about the Gen-Z that everyone gets wrong?
Aneet: For our generation, love isn’t always perfect or neatly defined. It’s complicated, sometimes even confusing, but still deeply felt. People sometimes assume the Gen-Z are too detached or overly ironical about everything. But beneath that, there’s actually a lot of sensitivity and awareness. And this generation cares deeply about authenticity and fairness. They’re not afraid to question things that don’t make sense to them.
Ahaan: Funnily, I can’t say much because I feel like I’m the last leg of Gen-Z. I was born in 1997, and was under the impression until a while ago that I was a millennial. From what I know, people assume the Gen-Z are either too serious or too unserious, and chronically online. But honestly, we’re a generation who feel too much and have learnt to protect our peace. Even though at times, that may come across as standoffish, it comes from a realization that if you want, you can protect your happiness. Not just our generation, but like any other generation, it’s about staying in the moment, seizing it, and not being too occupied with what the future holds and what the past has held.
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Ahaan Panday in Saiyaara.
Ahaan, Krish became a poster boy of love that’s angsty and persistent yet gentle and chivalrous. How much does that character resonate with you?
Ahaan: I honestly feel we’ve all had a Krish within us, with all the baggage of over the years. Love is far from perfect. Love is beautiful, yet it’s raw and angst-ridden. It’s a lot of things that aren’t textbook positive. I’ve been there. You said “poster boy”? The ninth-grade me made six posters to ask out my first girlfriend. We’ve all been there. Funnily enough, if I have to add, Krish has stayed with me for long even after the film was done and released. When you stay with a character, it’s hard to suddenly switch off. Krish feels very intensely and doesn’t hide it, and I connected with that emotional honesty. I guess it’s true what they all say — your first film, your first character is a memory that stays with you for many, many days later. Suddenly, you’re sounding or walking like Krish, and you don’t even realize that happened.
Did you feel it was a risk to mouth those lines on nepotism in Saiyaara when you’re part of a film family yourself?
Ahaan: Honestly, I didn’t see it as a risk as much as the character’s truth. Films are often a reflection of conversations happening in the real world. And that dialogue was part of the story we were telling. For me, personally, I feel opportunities can come from where you come from. But what you do with them is entirely on you. Ultimately, it’s the audience that gets to decide who gets to stay.
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Aneet Padda in Saiyaara.
Aneet, you continue to study even after your breakthrough with Saiyaara. How important is education to you?
Aneet: Education has always been important for me because it keeps me grounded. Acting can be very consuming. Having something outside of it helps me maintain a perspective. Learning also keeps you curious, whether it’s through academics or life experiences. Continuing to grow makes you a better artiste as well.
Do your classmates look at you differently now that you’re a star?
Aneet: The people who really know me still treat me the same way. I value that a lot because it reminds me that beyond everything happening professionally, I’m still the same person. They helped me stay grounded, rooted, and keep my eyes on the prize.
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Ahaan, how hard is it to shut out the noise after your first film while working on the next one, helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar?
Ahaan: It’s definitely a learning curve. When your first film releases, there are so many voices and opinions around you, about you. I’ve woken up with a pressure I never knew of. I felt it day in and day out. But I realized the only thing that keeps me grounded is focusing on my work and the people I’m doing this for — my family and everyone who’s shown love. When I’m on set, everything fades into the background, and I’m only focusing on the next moment, what’s to come.
Aneet, you’ll be headlining Shakti Shalini from the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe. Has the success of Saiyaara given you the confidence of leading such a tentpole?
Aneet: It’s definitely given me some kind of confidence. It helped me understand how deeply the audience connect with stories and characters. But with every new project, you start from zero. Shakti Shalini is a very different space, and that’s exciting because it pushes me to explore a new side to my craft and to myself as an actor. For me to headline a film of this stature and to be trusted by a producer like Dinesh Vijan is truly a dream come true. And I hope I can deliver a performance that people love. I’m too excited to dabble in a genre that I’ve never done before.
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You both recently came on board as brand ambassadors of Pepsi, and even got a “trailer”. Growing up, what did this brand mean to you?
Ahaan: Pepsi has always had this ability to capture the energy of a moment in time, of a certain year or a few months. Some of the older campaigns felt so cinematic. They had this rebellious vibe that stood out. Growing up, they were always very exciting to see because they brought together music, sports, and pop culture in a dynamic way. Being part of that feels very, very surreal.
Aneet: Pepsi campaigns have always had this vibrant and energetic quality that makes them so memorable. Growing up, I remember those ads were trying to capture a moment in culture than just promoting a drink. What I love the most is how playful they are, and there’s always a sense of fun and spontaneity that’s reflective of youth.
