A star is born

A year back, in an interview to promote Amazon Prime’s web series ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, Aneet Padda, who was just a film old and a relatively unknown name in the Hindi film industry, said, “When I was about nine years old, my mother used to call me out for one habit. I used to pull my eyelashes out, making wishes.” With the phenomenal success of ‘Saiyaara’, the 22-year-old actor from Amritsar couldn’t have wished for more.

She’s delivered a Rs 500-crore hit, becoming a darling of both critics and audiences, and generating such a buzz in Bollywood that was perhaps last witnessed during Hrithik Roshan’s debut film, ‘Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai’. Aneet Padda has arrived and how!

While the sudden hype and constant media gaze seem surreal to her family, there is unanimity among friends and acquaintances in hometown Amritsar that her spectacular success cannot be put down simply to luck or chance. It instead exemplifies perseverance, loads of self-belief and a dictum that fits perfectly well in the film industry — talent is all that matters, in the end.

Aneet’s leap to instant stardom may not be the biggest in an industry that has created overnight stars, but is quite remarkable, especially for an actor whose journey began not so long ago and one with no connections in the film industry.

Her talent for singing and the girl-next-door image have captivated audiences — earning her admiration and the affectionate title of Bollywood’s new “national crush”. It helps that Aneet — who plays the role of Vaani, an aspiring lyricist, in Mohit Suri’s romantic drama ‘Saiyaara’ — is a singer and composer herself. She in fact used to post short performance videos on her Instagram handle during her college days.

Born in October 2002 into a middle-class family in Amritsar, Aneet — always a bright student — did her schooling at Spring Dale Senior School in the city and earned a Bachelor’s degree in humanities from Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University.

Her father, Vijay Padda, is a businessman and mother Sukhjit Padda teaches at the local DAV Public School. Elder sister Reet is based out of Paris, where she works in the corporate sector.

Surprisingly, no one in the family had the slightest inkling that Aneet harboured dreams of acting professionally on the big stage. For them, her career choice would have been based on her academic achievements.

“Her father once told me that it was during the 2021 Covid pandemic that she first started auditioning for advertisements. He did not know earlier that Aneet had any such interest,” says Aneet’s mentor, Rajiv Sharma, principal of Spring Dale School.

Aneet’s tryst with acting and theatre started early during her school days. “She was the class president and later the school vice-president. I can still vividly recall how she would sit quietly on the third bench of the classroom, peeping through her glasses. What she had in plenty was a firm belief in herself. She was in the TED club, always actively involved in planning of school festivals and art events,” says Namita Lakhari, her class incharge at Spring Dale.

Aneet’s bond with her school reflects in a voice note she sent to Rajiv Sharma after her movie hit it big at the box office. She shared how she could not wait to return and thank her mentors. “I am extremely thankful to you and to all my teachers and my school that gave me the platform early in my life to show my talent, improve and build on my strengths,” she said in the message.

Principal Sharma, as expected, is thrilled beyond words: “It was overwhelming and wonderful to hear her and to witness her success like that. We at the school are so proud of her.”

Aneet once played the role of balika vadhu, a child bride, in a school play showcasing India’s cultural traditions. “She acted so well that after the play ended, the principal came to us and singled her out, saying that this girl had a bright future as an actor,” says Lakhari. He couldn’t have been more prescient.

Gursidak Kaur, the current vice-president of the school council, says Aneet is an inspiration for all the students. “She has reminded us that our journey can start right here and it can go as far as we are willing to take it.”

dealing with fameThe past few weeks have been an emotional roller-coaster for the Padda family. “Overwhelming” is how Vijay Padda describes it. “As a family, we are still making that transition from a small town to a big city that is Mumbai and with Aneet now garnering so much attention, we do not know how to take it all in,” he says.

As the family helps Aneet make the big move to Mumbai and ensures she has her support system in place, humility is what shines through.

As a coping mechanism to deal with all the attention, the family has consciously decided to keep a fair distance from the media. On her part, Aneet, too, has chosen to keep a low profile, but her message on social media explains why rootedness and clarity built on self-confidence are what define her. As she reflects on the success of ‘Saiyaara’ and her newfound stardom, she says she obviously fears what comes next, and whether she will be up to the new challenges.

While her social media presence after the success of the film remains limited, her old interviews are now circulating where she talks about her struggles, auditioning for films and her dreams. A common thread is her unassuming persona — relatable energy that deeply resonates with viewers.

rejections and acceptance

Aneet’s career in Bollywood did not begin with ‘Saiyaara’, her stardom did. She made her Bollywood debut with ‘Salaam Venky’ (2022), a brilliantly made, lesser-known film starring another talented, young and breakout actor Vishal Jethwa, seen at Cannes this year where his film ‘Homebound’ was screened.

Aneet made her OTT debut in the coming-of-age series ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, where she played her first lead role and even wrote, composed and sang the track ‘Masoom’.

Before the sweet taste of success, Aneet faced several rejections too. While pursuing her graduation in Delhi, she started auditioning for small roles in TV commercials. Her early Instagram posts reveal how she used to upload performance videos of songs she herself had composed. She finally landed roles in commercials for leading brands like Nestle and Cadbury.

Before her film debut, she shared screen space with Abhay Verma, another outsider who entered Bollywood’s 100-crore club with horror comedy ‘Munjya’.

Aneet has also worked with talented Bollywood A-listers like Kajol and Pooja Bhatt. In numerous media interactions before ‘Saiyaara’ was released, Aneet had shared how she wanted to work her way up in the entertainment and film industry. Who knew her pace would shatter box-office records and change the way Bollywood insiders see ‘outsiders’.

Casting director Shanoo Sharma, who scouted Aneet for Yash Raj Films, shared in an interview with film critic Anupama Chopra about how Aneet nailed her audition by performing Alia Bhatt’s ‘Highway’ monologue in the film’s climax. “I knew I had struck gold,” said Shanoo.

Post her success, Aneet has been nothing but grateful to her co-star Ahaan Panday — nephew of Chunky Panday and cousin of Ananya Panday — who is set on his own path to stardom. Paparazzi videos of her interactions with the Panday family, and Ahaan in particular, have been generating a lot of fan interest. She has, in several of her interviews, credited director Mohit Suri for giving her a dream film.

Alia Bhatt heaped praise on the newcomers: “Two beautiful, magical stars are born.” It is exhilirating to hear those words, but both Aneet and Ahaan are aware of the weight of expectations. As does the Padda family. Vijay Padda, in a candid remark, expressed his inhibition to speak to the media because of the false assumptions and speculations around Aneet’s background, and what comes next.

Amrit Aulakh, a well-known name in the Punjabi film industry, says that actors from Punjab making it big in Bollywood opens opportunities for others. “Aneet’s success shows how talent from the state needs to be backed by industry insiders. Wamiqa Gabbi and Sonam Bajwa, who were looked as essentially Punjabi film actors, have made a smooth transition to Bollywood. When talent is backed by big production houses, with good scripts and a professional team, sky is the limit,” she says.

In Amritsar, meanwhile, many went to theatres just to watch one of their own starring in a major production. “When I saw Aneet in the trailer, I was so proud, it was such a joyous moment. Bagging a lead role in a Yash Raj film is no mean feat. And Aneet might just have inspired many like her who harbour big dreams. Her success feels personal,” says Sukhraj Sandhu, her mother’s colleague.

That, in a way, sums up the story so far — saddi kudi who’s made it big. It’s early days, yes, but a star is born! And wherever Aneet Padda goes from here, her 500-crore club membership is for keeps.

Houseful of talent

AMRITSAR has long been considered a cradle of acting and theatre talent. It may not always receive the same limelight as Mumbai or Delhi, but its contribution to the film industry in terms of nurturing stars and talent has been tremendous. Amritsar has been home to some of the greats of the industry, be it Geeta Bali, one of the first stars from the city in the 1940s and ’50s, who later married Shammi Kapoor, or Pran, born Pran Krishan Sikand. Superstar Rajesh Khanna, the versatile Deepti Naval and Akshay Kumar, too, trace their roots to the city.

Among the legendary singers, Amritsar nurtured the talent of KL Saigal, Mahendra Kapoor and Mohammed Rafi. Many actors from the city brought a strong vocal and emotional presence — which translated well on stage and screen.

The recent finds include comedians Kapil Sharma and Bharti. Their success feels personal to many because they come from humble backgrounds and never forget to mention Amritsar’s role in their journey to stardom.

The yesteryear stars carried the emotional scars of Partition, with some having migrated from Pakistan. What they suffered translated into stage and theatre.

Aneet Padda’s success has a familiar resonance, and the city couldn’t be more proud.

Entertainment