'Saiyaara': Mohit Suri wanted 'someone real' to play female lead
What's the story
Mohit Suri's latest directorial venture, Saiyaara, has catapulted newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda into the limelight. In a recent interview with Bollywood Hungama, Suri revealed that it took several months to find Padda. He wanted a young actor who hadn't gone under the knife, which he found difficult in today's age. "Sorry if I'm not sounding too politically correct...but it was," he said.
Casting criteria
Suri reveals his casting criteria
Suri further elaborated on his casting criteria, saying, "The kind of role it was, I wanted someone who was real and had not done something to herself." He added that Padda, who had previously worked in Kajol's Salaam Venky and Zoya Akhtar's Big Girls Don't Cry, impressed him during the audition process. "She came through the whole slotting of auditions," he said.
Role description
What the director said about Padda's character
Suri further elaborated on his vision for Padda's character during a recent interview with Dainik Bhasker. He said, "We wanted a simple girl from a Punjabi background who wants to come back home by 8:30pm, has a value system." "I couldn't find that girl until I saw her." He praised Padda's audition, saying it was "brilliant" and showed her originality.
Casting journey
How Padda convinced Suri
Interestingly, both Panday and Padda initially failed to impress Suri in their first tries. However, things changed after Suri met Panday for dinner and drinks. In an interview with Instant Bollywood, Suri revealed that Padda's first meeting with him "went disastrously bad." It was Panday who suggested giving her another chance. "He tried to distract me...he told me, 'Give her another chance. I'm telling you she's good.'"
Film details
'Saiyaara' marks Panday's Bollywood debut
Saiyaara is a romantic drama that marks the Bollywood debut of Panday. The movie tells the story of Krish, a singer, and Vaani, a songwriter. As they come together to create music, their union turns into a powerful love story. The film has received much praise from audiences and critics, with the movie entering the ₹100 crore club after four days of release.