Some on-screen romances feel carefully crafted, while others resonate because they feel honest and lived-in. Saiyaara firmly belongs to the latter category, and that authenticity is precisely why audiences continue to talk about the film long after watching it. As the romantic drama gears up for its World Television Premiere, its lead actors Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda have opened up about the real reason behind their much-admired on-screen chemistry.
According to Ahaan, there was no strategy or formula involved in building the connection that viewers see in the film. For him, chemistry cannot be forced or manufactured. “It happens naturally,” he believes, adding that genuine comfort between co-actors is what eventually reflects on screen. This is the philosophy that led his approach to Saiyaara from day one. Instead of obsessing over performances, the focus during pre-production was on building a real human connection.
For Aneet, her first meeting with Ahaan and director Mohit Suri was a turning point. She says she was exceptionally nervous walking in, with no idea about what would happen. That anxiety dissipated pretty quickly. “I just felt so comfortable-the environment was so warm and relaxed,” she remembers. Much later, she would describe Ahaan’s presence as “disarming”-one that made her calm and supported right from the very beginning.
What came next was months of bonding before cameras began to roll. Without the onus of rehearsals or performance, Ahaan and Aneet spent time together, sang, played the guitar and talked extensively, honestly, about their fears, their insecurities, and their expectations. Those moments, for Aneet, were indispensable. Not only could both actors understand each other beyond the script, but they would also find trust organically.
By the time filming started, the groundwork was already done. There wasn’t a moment of awkwardness or shying away on the sets. Emotionally charged scenes flowed like a river because both actors felt secure in being honest in their reactions towards each other. Aneet speaks of how that early connect made the shooting space comfortable. It is this safety, she avows, which allowed vulnerability to come to the surface-the most essential thing in a love story like Saiyaara.
The trust that was developed off-screen flowed well to the on-screen emotion and has given the film its depth and sincerity. This goes to say that at times, the most powerful performances come not from just preparation, but from an honest human connection. For those who missed it in theaters or want to get a dose of romance all over again, Saiyaara is all set for its World Television Premiere on December 20 at 8 PM on Sony MAX.
