Last Updated:
Saiyaara star Aneet Padda recalled that despite her performance in Big Girls Don’t Cry being applauded, she felt unsettled while juggling college and acting.
Saiyaara star Aneet Padda recalls battling doubts about whether she would make it in the industry
Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda turned into overnight sensations after the release of their film Saiyaara. While the Mohit Suri directorial marked Ahaan’s first project, Aneet had been a part of the 2022 film Salaam Venky and the Prime Video series ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ before this film. In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan India, Aneet recalled that while her performance in Big Girls Don’t Cry was praised by everyone, she felt unsettled and was plagued with anxiety and melancholy. Juggling acting and college, she admitted to having doubts about whether she would succeed in showbiz and whether she could sustain herself financially through acting alone.
Aneet Padda On Feeling Unsettled
Aneet Padda recalled feeling unsettled as she juggled college and acting. She revealed that things also felt ‘culturally different’ on set as she was surrounded by ‘big people’. She felt overwhelmed with contract negotiations and travel, even as she appeared composed. Aneet recalled feeling uncertain about whether she would succeed, and was still looking for other options. “I didn’t know if I would make it. Of course, I was doing things, but I didn’t know if I’d have enough safety that I’d be able to make money only off of this. So I was still looking for other options, and what schools to apply to after college,” she said.
Aneet Padda On Getting Call From Shanoo Sharma
She called Nitya Mehra and Karan Kapadia, the creator and director of ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, her ‘Bombay parents.’ At a time when she needed reassurance about her talent and her future, they encouraged her. Around the same time, when she was 19, Aneet got a call from casting director Shanoo Sharma, and she asked her to audition for Yash Raj Films. However, Aneet couldn’t take up the opportunity due to her commitment to college and a hectic travel schedule. “Even getting that call from her (Sharma) was huge,” she said.
Aneet then revealed that she reached out to Shanoo Sharma after her graduation. She was ‘shaking in the car’ before their chat, however, Shanoo eased her nerves and invited her to audition, which eventually led to her role in Saiyaara.
Released theatrically on July 18, 2025, Saiyaara follows Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday), a passionate musician, and Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda), a shy poet. Together, they channel their creativity into making music, slowly mending their emotional scars while discovering love. But their happiness faces an unexpected storm when Vaani is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, throwing their future into uncertainty. The film premiered on Netflix on September 12, 2025.
October 05, 2025, 19:40 IST
