Aneet Padda, who made a strong debut in Saiyaara, has quickly climbed the ladder in Bollywood. In her first post-release interview, she revealed the challenges she overcame to get where she is today.
Aneet disclosed to The Hollywood Reporter India that her passion for acting drove her to secretly audition from home. She locked herself in her room, told her parents she was busy with schoolwork, and recorded her audition tapes alone, because her family lacked the financial means to take her to Mumbai for in-person auditions.
When asked whose opinions she values most, Aneet didn’t hesitate: “My mom, my dad, and my friends, that’s what counts. Anyone else doesn’t really matter,” she stated with conviction.
Before Saiyaara, Aneet began acting with a smaller role in the film Salaam Venky, starring Kajol. Her first prominent lead role came in the Prime Video coming-of-age series Big Girls Don’t Cry (2024), where she portrayed Roohi, one of the central characters in the ensemble.
Aneet’s breakthrough arrived with Saiyaara, directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Yash Raj Films. The romantic drama shattered records, becoming the highest-grossing love story in Bollywood’s history. Globally, it reportedly raked in about ₹568.6 crore, ₹406.5 crore domestically and ₹162.2 crore oversea.
