Not Ahaan Panday & Aneet Padda: This Bollywood Power Couple Was First Choice For Saiyaara

Mohit Suri’s romantic drama Saiyaara has turned out to be one of the biggest surprise blockbusters of the year, transforming debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda into overnight stars. With its soulful soundtrack and refreshing on-screen pairing, the film has captured the audience’s imagination — but its journey to the big screen had a very different beginning.

Saiyaara Originally Meant for Sidharth & Kiara?

According to a report by Scoopwhoop, real-life couple Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani were the initial choices to lead Saiyaara. The duo, who previously shared remarkable on-screen chemistry in Shershaah, were approached by the makers before Ahaan and Aneet came on board. However, discussions reportedly did not materialise, leading the team to reconsider their casting approach.

Aditya Chopra’s Bold Casting Call

In a recent interview, director Mohit Suri opened up about the casting process, revealing how producer Aditya Chopra changed the film’s trajectory.

Suri recalled, “Your film won’t work with known faces—it’s a story of two youngsters. Let’s cast fresh faces.” When Suri expressed concern about taking such a big risk in today’s box office climate, Chopra confidently replied, “I will.” That leap of faith, as box office numbers now prove, paid off handsomely.

 

Interestingly, Suri and Sidharth Malhotra previously collaborated on the 2014 hit Ek Villain. Known for working with trusted actors like Emraan Hashmi, Shraddha Kapoor, and Aditya Roy Kapur, Suri initially saw Sidharth as a natural fit for Saiyaara — until the fresh casting choice changed the game.

Box Office on Fire

Saiyaara is smashing records at the box office. In just 11 days, the film has netted over ₹250 crore in India. With strong word-of-mouth and consistent footfalls, trade analysts expect the romantic drama to cross the ₹300 crore mark by the end of the week.

If it continues to hold against new releases like Son Of Sardaar 2 and Dhadak 2, Saiyaara could potentially wrap up its theatrical run in the impressive range of ₹375–400 crore.

 

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