Mohit Suri Explains Why ‘Saiyaara’ Stars Ahaan Panday & Aneet Padda Skipped Promotions

The director reveals the strategic decision behind keeping the debutants away from media rounds, drawing parallels with Shraddha and Aditya’s breakout in Aashiqui 2.

Mohit Suri’s latest directorial venture Saiyaara hit theatres on July 18 and has already started to make waves at the box office. Featuring newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in lead roles, the musical romance has resonated well with audiences—especially for its soulful soundtrack. But in an age where aggressive promotions are the norm, the absence of the film’s two lead stars from press tours and interviews has left many puzzled.

Director Mohit Suri has now addressed this curiosity in an interview with Just Too Filmy, revealing that the decision was very much intentional—and strategic.

“This idea wasn’t mine alone,” said Suri. “It was something that evolved with Akshaye Widhani and Aditya Chopra, who mentored us throughout the film. The thought was that if the actors don’t yet have a body of work to talk about, the media questions would become repetitive—like ‘Who’s the prankster on set?’ or ‘What was it like working with Mohit Suri?’ These kinds of fluff questions don’t really add any value.”

Instead, the team decided to let the film speak for itself—letting audiences discover the newcomers through their performances, rather than orchestrated PR appearances.

Suri then drew a parallel to his own past experience with the 2013 musical romance Aashiqui 2, which launched Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur into stardom. “When we were shooting in Goa, people recognized me, but not Shraddha and Aditya,” he recalled. “After our first show premiered, we were on a flight from Chandigarh with no network. By the time we landed, the buzz had exploded. I still have a photo of air hostesses mobbing them—not because of any media blitz, but because the film had connected emotionally with people.”

Much like Aashiqui 2, Saiyaara is betting on its music and emotional core to drive word-of-mouth. The film’s soundtrack—especially the title track and “Barbaad”—has been trending across social media platforms. The music is composed by Tanishk Bagchi, Arslan Nizami, and Faheem Abdullah, and has already become a major part of the film’s identity.

Produced by Akshaye Widhani under the Yash Raj Films banner, Saiyaara seems to be following the studio’s new approach of spotlighting fresh talent without overexposure. Time will tell if Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda will mirror the kind of breakthrough success enjoyed by Shraddha and Aditya, but for now, the quiet confidence around Saiyaara is certainly intriguing.

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