Overview

• In a new Cosmopolitan India interview, Aneet Padda says she stumbled onto scam audition sites at 17 and cold‑emailed 50–70 production houses with tapes and a rudimentary biodata during the pandemic.
• She recalls feeling anxious while juggling college and acting, unsure she could sustain herself financially through the profession despite early praise for Big Girls Don’t Cry.
• Padda recounts receiving a call from casting director Shanoo Sharma at 19, then reapproaching her after graduation for a Yash Raj Films audition that eventually led to Saiyaara.
• She says Alia Bhatt personally phoned to gush about Saiyaara for nearly ten minutes, echoing Bhatt’s public post hailing Padda and co-star Ahaan Panday as newly minted stars.
• Saiyaara opened in theaters on July 18, 2025 and premiered on Netflix on September 12, with Hindustan Times reporting it became Indian cinema’s top-grossing romantic drama at ₹569.75 crore worldwide.