With Saiyaara, director Mohit Suri introduced fresh talent to the silver screen in the form of Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. The romantic film has turned into an unexpected box office juggernaut, garnering applause from critics and audiences alike across demographics. Ahaan Panday, the nephew of seasoned actor Chunky Panday and cousin to actress Ananya Panday, had long been surrounded by anticipation due to his film lineage.
His official entry into the industry through this project has only strengthened those expectations. Meanwhile, Aneet Padda, though lesser-known before this release, has quickly carved a space for herself thanks to her performance and screen presence.
False Accusations of Nepotism Surface
Not long after the success of Saiyaara, whispers began circulating online about Aneet’s supposed ties to influential figures in the film industry. A particular post on the subreddit BollyBlindsGossip gained traction, claiming that Aneet was the daughter of filmmaker Nitya Mehra and director Karan Kapadia. The thread, titled 'Aneet Padda Nepo Kid,' alleged that her entry into the industry had been made easier by these insider connections.
To provide some background, Nitya Mehra is widely recognised for directing the critically acclaimed web series Made In Heaven, as well as the Katrina Kaif-Siddharth Malhotra romantic comedy Baar Baar Dekho, and Karan Kapadia has also been actively involved in various film and OTT projects. The claim suggested that Aneet had benefitted from their industry standing. However, a detailed fact-check conducted by ETimes put an end to these rumours. The publication clarified that Nitya Mehra and Karan Kapadia are indeed parents, but to a child born in 2019, whereas Aneet was born on October 14, 2002, making any such familial link impossible.
Nitya has worked with Padda on the 2024 TV series Big Girls Don't Cry.
‘Bombay Parents’ Misinterpreted
The confusion appears to have stemmed from Aneet’s past professional interactions with Nitya and Karan during the filming of the Amazon Prime Video series Big Girls Don’t Cry. In that project, Karan served as the director while Nitya took on the role of producer. Aneet reportedly referred to the pair as her "Bombay parents," a term that likely referred to their nurturing and supportive presence during filming. However, this affectionate phrase was taken out of context by online users and wrongly interpreted as confirmation of a familial relationship.
Hailing from Amritsar: Aneet’s True Background
Aneet Padda’s real roots are far from Bollywood royalty. According to Bollywood Shaadis, she comes from a middle-class family in Amritsar. She completed her schooling at Spring Dale Senior School and later pursued higher education at Jesus and Mary College in Delhi. During her college years, she began modeling, which gradually led her to work in advertisements and small roles. One such minor part was in Kajol’s emotional drama Salaam Venky.
Her actual breakthrough came in 2024 with her debut in the OTT series Big Girls Don’t Cry. Though she had no influential relatives in the film industry, she steadily built her portfolio through hard work and smaller projects. While her parents have maintained a private life away from the spotlight, her mother is said to have been a constant pillar of encouragement throughout Aneet’s journey into acting.
Box Office Glory: Saiyaara’s Record-Breaking Run
Saiyaara didn’t just make headlines for its newcomers—it rewrote box office records. As per trade reports by Sacnilk, the film has secured a spot as the 26th highest-grossing Hindi film in history. Within just ten days of its release, the movie accumulated an India net collection of ₹248.43 crore. This performance allowed it to surpass heavyweights like Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki (₹227 crore) and Ajay Devgn’s Singham Again (₹247.86 crore).
The romantic drama opened to a strong ₹21.5 crore on its first Friday. By the weekend, collections skyrocketed to ₹26 crore on Saturday and ₹35.75 crore on Sunday, pushing its first-week total to ₹172.75 crore. The second weekend maintained the momentum—Friday collected ₹18 crore, Saturday went up to ₹26.5 crore, and Sunday wrapped with a staggering ₹31.18 crore. The film’s commercial performance is especially remarkable considering it lacked the backing of a major franchise or mega-star, relying instead on storytelling and fresh performances.
His official entry into the industry through this project has only strengthened those expectations. Meanwhile, Aneet Padda, though lesser-known before this release, has quickly carved a space for herself thanks to her performance and screen presence.
False Accusations of Nepotism Surface
Not long after the success of Saiyaara, whispers began circulating online about Aneet’s supposed ties to influential figures in the film industry. A particular post on the subreddit BollyBlindsGossip gained traction, claiming that Aneet was the daughter of filmmaker Nitya Mehra and director Karan Kapadia. The thread, titled 'Aneet Padda Nepo Kid,' alleged that her entry into the industry had been made easier by these insider connections.To provide some background, Nitya Mehra is widely recognised for directing the critically acclaimed web series Made In Heaven, as well as the Katrina Kaif-Siddharth Malhotra romantic comedy Baar Baar Dekho, and Karan Kapadia has also been actively involved in various film and OTT projects. The claim suggested that Aneet had benefitted from their industry standing. However, a detailed fact-check conducted by ETimes put an end to these rumours. The publication clarified that Nitya Mehra and Karan Kapadia are indeed parents, but to a child born in 2019, whereas Aneet was born on October 14, 2002, making any such familial link impossible.
Nitya has worked with Padda on the 2024 TV series Big Girls Don't Cry.
‘Bombay Parents’ Misinterpreted
The confusion appears to have stemmed from Aneet’s past professional interactions with Nitya and Karan during the filming of the Amazon Prime Video series Big Girls Don’t Cry. In that project, Karan served as the director while Nitya took on the role of producer. Aneet reportedly referred to the pair as her "Bombay parents," a term that likely referred to their nurturing and supportive presence during filming. However, this affectionate phrase was taken out of context by online users and wrongly interpreted as confirmation of a familial relationship.Hailing from Amritsar: Aneet’s True Background
Aneet Padda’s real roots are far from Bollywood royalty. According to Bollywood Shaadis, she comes from a middle-class family in Amritsar. She completed her schooling at Spring Dale Senior School and later pursued higher education at Jesus and Mary College in Delhi. During her college years, she began modeling, which gradually led her to work in advertisements and small roles. One such minor part was in Kajol’s emotional drama Salaam Venky. Her actual breakthrough came in 2024 with her debut in the OTT series Big Girls Don’t Cry. Though she had no influential relatives in the film industry, she steadily built her portfolio through hard work and smaller projects. While her parents have maintained a private life away from the spotlight, her mother is said to have been a constant pillar of encouragement throughout Aneet’s journey into acting.
Box Office Glory: Saiyaara’s Record-Breaking Run
Saiyaara didn’t just make headlines for its newcomers—it rewrote box office records. As per trade reports by Sacnilk, the film has secured a spot as the 26th highest-grossing Hindi film in history. Within just ten days of its release, the movie accumulated an India net collection of ₹248.43 crore. This performance allowed it to surpass heavyweights like Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki (₹227 crore) and Ajay Devgn’s Singham Again (₹247.86 crore).The romantic drama opened to a strong ₹21.5 crore on its first Friday. By the weekend, collections skyrocketed to ₹26 crore on Saturday and ₹35.75 crore on Sunday, pushing its first-week total to ₹172.75 crore. The second weekend maintained the momentum—Friday collected ₹18 crore, Saturday went up to ₹26.5 crore, and Sunday wrapped with a staggering ₹31.18 crore. The film’s commercial performance is especially remarkable considering it lacked the backing of a major franchise or mega-star, relying instead on storytelling and fresh performances.
