Emerging from the phenomenal success of Saiyaara, Aneet Padda has quickly become a rising star in Bollywood. Now making headlines following her film debut alongside Ahaan Panday, the former under-the-radar actor recently spoke candidly in her first post-release interview about the hardships she faced early in her career.

Aneet opens up about wanting to be an actor since childhood

Aneet told The Hollywood Reporter India how she secretly recorded auditions at home, pretending to be doing homework while locking herself in her room.

“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,” Aneet said.

When asked whose opinions truly affect her, she said, “My mom, my dad, my friends, that’s what matters. Anyone else, I really don’t care.”

Aneet first starred as Roohi in the Prime Video coming-of-age drama Big Girls Don’t Cry (2024), created by Nitya Mehra and featuring an ensemble cast that includes Pooja Bhatt and Raima Sen.

Saiyaara’s smashing box office success

Saiyaara has officially become the highest-grossing romantic film in Bollywood history. With a worldwide gross of approximately ₹568.65 crore, including ₹406.48 crore from India and ₹162.17 crore overseas, the Mohit Suri directorial has surpassed all previous records in the romance genre.

Starring newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet, the Yash Raj Films-backed project has struck a deep emotional chord with audiences, proving that old-school love stories still hold massive appeal in the modern era of cinema.

Saiyaara’s success has also earned Aneet another big break with Yah Raj Films. She has reportedly landed her second project with YRF, a romantic drama directed by Band Baaja Baaraat‘s Maneesh Sharma