Exclusive: Director Mohit Suri Almost Dismissed Ahaan Panday As Saiyaara Hero. What Changed His Mind

Director Mohit Suri is known for launching fresh faces and pulling emotion straight from the gut and in his upcoming musical drama Saiyaara, he says the journey to finding his lead actor was anything but smooth.

Billed as an intense love story, Saiyaara introduces Ahaan Panday, Ananya Panday's cousin and Chunky Panday's nephew, into the Hindi film industry and also stars Aneet Padda as the female lead.

Presented by Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films and produced by Akshaye Widhani, Saiyaara is slated to be released on July 18, 2025 in theatres worldwide.

In an interview with NDTV, Mohit Suri revealed that he nearly passed on casting Ahaan Panday in the film. "My wife Udita (Goswami) had seen his videos him dancing, doing Shah Rukh Khan impressions. I hadn't. And honestly, if I had seen those earlier, I might've dismissed him. I needed someone with his own identity, his own voice not someone mimicking others," he says.

Ahaan Panday was first suggested by producer Aditya Chopra, who read the script and told Mohit Suri that he had "the ideal guy" for the filmmaker.

But the initial meetings didn't go as planned. "He's a sweet Bandra boy, and I told Adi sir, 'He's not my character.' After a few rounds, sir just told me take him out for dinner and break the news to him gently."

That dinner changed everything.

"As soon as he sensed he wasn't getting the part, Ahaan dropped the act. He stopped trying to impress me and just started being himself. We hung out till 3 in the morning, and somewhere in that real, unfiltered space I found my character. That's when he shifted from calling me 'Sir' to 'Bro'. And when I became 'Bro', he let his guard down. That's when I knew he was the one."

While many are already drawing comparisons between Saiyaara and Mohit Suri's earlier hit Aashiqui 2, the director said the two films couldn't be more different.

"I don't even own the rights to Aashiqui," he said. "And I don't think the comparison is fair. Aashiqui 2 was about an ageing, spent musician. This is about a young boy with big dreams-he hasn't even seen success yet. If anything, Saiyaara feels closer to my own formative years, my own struggles."

The director added that stories set in the music world aren't a new concept. "Imtiaz (Ali) made Rockstar, Kumar Gaurav did Star. Music is just a backdrop, it's the emotional story that sets it apart. Saiyaara is about finding your voice when the world's not listening."

From second guesses to late-night breakthroughs, it's clear Saiyaara is deeply personal for Mohit Suri and that's what might make it his most heartfelt work yet.

Also Read | Saiyaara Trailer: Ahaan Panday And Aneet Padda To Take Over Screens With Their Whirlwind Romance