Saiyaara's Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda win IMDb Breakout Star Awards: ‘First award of my acting career’

Saiyaara's Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda recognized as IMDb Breakout Stars following the film's box office success.

Ahaan Panday made his grand Bollywood debut in Mohit Suri's Saiyaara alongside Aneet Padda. The film struck a chord with audiences, and both became overnight sensations. Now, Ahaan and Aneet have achieved another significant milestone, earning IMDb Breakout Star STARmeter Awards.

Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda achieve another milestone in their careers,

Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda earn IMDb Breakout Star Awards

The duo received this honour based on their performance in IMDb’s Popular Indian Celebrities rankings, which measure engagement from the platform’s global user base. In July, Ahaan topped the IMDb Popular Indian Celebrities list, with director Mohit Suri taking second place and Aneet Padda coming in third.

Speaking about the accolade, Ahaan said, “The IMDb ‘Breakout Star’ STARmeter Award is the first award of my acting career, and the fact that it comes directly from audiences makes it all the more special. I spent my whole childhood scouring IMDb, seeing different polls, watching the rise and fall of various movies and shows. IMDb was a portal for me to lose myself in world cinema. To be mentioned on it, to be a part of it, to be honoured by it, and to know that I’m up there somewhere, would have been something that a 12-year-old on his box computer could never have fathomed, but always dreamed of,” as quoted by Variety.

Aneet said, “I’m delighted that Saiyaara and my performance in it have resonated with audiences worldwide, which has led to my winning the IMDb ‘Breakout Star’ STARmeter Award. Winning an accolade driven by audiences makes this truly meaningful recognition. I’m thrilled to have entertained people with a performance that has touched them. I’d like to dedicate my first award to the entire cast and crew of the film, to Adi sir and Mohit sir for their belief in someone like me, and to my co-star Ahaan. It’s been an absolute joy to share the screen and this journey with him. It is truly precious when people believe in your skills and give you that one chance you need. Playing Vaani has been one of the most joyful and intense experiences of my life. I can’t wait to be back on screen soon and do what I love most – bringing stories and incredible characters to life. I want to focus on my next film, take all this love, and channel it into doing even better on screen next time.”

About Saiyaara

Directed by Mohit Suri, Saiyaara tells the story of troubled and struggling musician Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday), who meets aspiring journalist and poet Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda). He turns the words from Vaani's diary into songs, and as they work together, they fall in love. However, fate tests their relationship with an unexpected twist that separates them.

The film also stars Varun Badola, Rajesh Kumar, Geeta Aggarwal Sharma, and Alam Khan, among others, in key roles. It earned over ₹500 crore at the worldwide box office, becoming the second highest-grossing film of the year and the biggest romantic film in Indian cinema.