In one of the most unexpected success stories of 2025, debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda have taken the box office by surprise with their romantic drama Saiyaara. Directed by Mohit Suri, the film has emerged as one of last year’s highest-grossing releases, alongside big-ticket titles like Dhurandhar and Chhaava.
Ayaan Panday opens up about man watching Saiyaara hooked up to an IV drip
Despite minimal pre-release promotions, Saiyaara struck a chord with audiences, largely due to the fresh pairing of Ahaan and Aneet. Clips of packed theatres and emotional audience reactions quickly surfaced online, further amplifying the film’s popularity.
Among the many viral moments, one particular video drew widespread attention. A man in a Mumbai cinema hall was seen watching Saiyaara while hooked up to an IV drip. While many social media users were moved by his apparent dedication, others speculated that the incident was a staged marketing strategy by the film’s team.
Addressing the controversy, Ahaan Panday spoke about the incident in a recent interview with Esquire India. The actor clarified that the man seen in the viral clip was undergoing dialysis at the time.
“You know what, that was actually a person who had dialysis. Mohit sir found out later because we were curious about how all of this was happening,” Ahaan said, effectively dismissing rumours that the video was part of a promotional stunt.
Speaking about the film’s widespread resonance, Ahaan reflected on why Saiyaara connected so deeply with viewers. He suggested that audiences may have been yearning for authenticity. “For so many years, we had such a set way of thinking about how things had to be done. It became so rigid. Maybe people just wanted something with artists not trying to be perfect. Romance is not perfect. Love is never perfect,” he said.
Directed by Mohit Suri, Saiyaara went on to become one of the biggest Hindi film successes of 2025, with a spectacular theatrical run across India and overseas. The romantic drama ultimately grossed an estimated ₹570 crore worldwide by the end of its theatrical run, outperforming several major past blockbusters and securing its place as one of the year’s top-grossing Indian films.
Ahaan’s upcoming project
Following the massive success of his debut, Ahaan is now set to collaborate with filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar on an upcoming action project. The yet-untitled film will also star Sharvari and is scheduled to go on floors in Mumbai this month, with a second shooting schedule planned in the United Kingdom.
