"She had more to share with me than I had with her."
Aneet Padda recently marked her 23rd birthday with a heartfelt celebration surrounded by her loved ones, including filmmaker Mohit Suri, who directed her debut film Saiyaara.
The actress, who rose to overnight fame following her performance in the romance drama opposite Ahaan Panday, shared an appreciation post for Mohit that melted fans’ hearts.
Taking to Instagram, Aneet posted unseen pictures from her birthday celebration with the filmmaker, alongside a sweet caption that read, “Momo makes me smile, momo helps me try. I love momo.”
The post, which featured adorable selfies of the duo, quickly went viral among fans who praised their warm bond.
Many took to the comments to express their admiration for Aneet’s affection and gratitude towards her mentor.
Mohit Suri, meanwhile, opened up about his casting process for Saiyaara in a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, revealing that finding Aneet wasn’t an easy feat.
The filmmaker said the search for the right actress took nearly five months, as he was looking for someone between the ages of 20 and 22 who had a natural, untouched appearance.
“That was a major requirement,” Mohit explained.
“I didn’t expect it to be such a bigger requirement. Not only that, I needed someone who felt real, someone who hadn’t done something to themselves.”
He added that Aneet’s authenticity immediately stood out, describing her as “brilliant” and “genuine” from the very beginning.
Mohit also revealed that he needed an actress who could convincingly portray a middle-class Punjabi girl from Amritsar.
“She just fit right in,” he said. “We often have the wrong idea of what small-town India is like—they’re actually more conventionally ‘out there’ than we are. She had more to share with me than I had with her.”
Before landing Saiyaara, Aneet reportedly auditioned for several major filmmakers, including Anurag Kashyap and Kunal Deshmukh.
Her talent also caught the attention of YRF’s renowned casting director Shanoo Sharma, which ultimately reaffirmed Mohit’s decision to cast her.
“That’s when I knew she was good,” Mohit shared.
The filmmaker described Aneet as a “predominantly great actor” who handled the emotional layers of her character with remarkable depth.
Saiyaara, which explores love, longing and self-discovery, continues to win over audiences while strengthening Aneet’s reputation as one of Bollywood’s most promising new talents.
As her star continues to rise, Aneet is now gearing up for her next big projects.
She has been cast in Shakti Shalini as the titular character, officially joining the MHCU alongside stars such as Shraddha Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Rajkummar Rao, Rashmika Mandanna, and Pankaj Tripathi.
The actress also has a courtroom drama in the pipeline, signalling an exciting new chapter in her rapidly growing career.
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