Director Mohit Suri initially rejected Ahaan Panday for Saiyaara, finding it too weak. However, after a candid conversation where Sorey revealed the rejection, Bandai’s true personality came out, impressing the director. Suri also had a long-standing family relationship with Panday, as he knew his father before Ahan was born.
Mohit Suri’s work in the movie ‘Siyaara’ has been highly praised by many. It was an instant hit, and lead stars Ahaan Pandey and Aneet Padda quickly rose to fame after their work in the film. In a recent interview, Suri delved into the success of ‘Saiyaara’ and spoke candidly about the relationship and history he shares with Panday.
Besides, he revealed a surprising detail about the film, where he said that Ahaan was almost not an actor for the film.
Mohit Suri in his first expression Ahan Panday
While speaking to Variety India, the popular director revealed that initially he was not sure about casting Panday and even rejected the artist. Describing his first appearance at Ahaan, he revealed that Aditya Chopra set him up and told him to meet Ahaan at his office, which was also basically a ‘pillow’ where he would write and relax.Suri commented, “He came there, and I didn’t find him like Krish Kapoor at all. I found him a really nice, soft boy. So I told Adi sir, ‘He’s not that kind of guy.’ We had two or three meetings where I rejected him completely. Chopra also encouraged him to talk to Ahaan, and said he should be honest about the rejection face to face. He went to dinner with the actor, and the moment he told him he wouldn’t be in the film, the veil fell,” Suri said.
“I think that’s when he stopped pretending to impress me, and we went out like normal people. And suddenly that night, I saw him come back to life. Because by the end of the night, I can’t talk about the details, but he was standing at the bar. And he looked a lot like Krish Kapoor.”
Mohit Suri on his relationship with Ahaan Panday
Suri also revealed that he shares a deep bond with the film’s lead actor, Ahaan Panday. Suri revealed that he knew the first star even before he was born, and commented: “My father and his father were amazing friends when my father was probably my age, and his father was probably the same age.
Which is weird, because I remember meeting his father. He may not have even been born at that time.
More about “Sayara”
The Hindi language film 2025 was one of Mohit Suri’s biggest films. Actors Anit Padda and Ahan Pandey made their debut in the world of cinema with this film. The story revolves around a girl who is diagnosed early with a memory-related disease, and a struggling musician who meets unexpectedly. One thing leads to another, and the two create a deep bond. The film, according to Sakneelak, collected around Rs 579 crore at the box office, while the film’s budget was around Rs 35 to Rs 50 crore, making it a massive hit at the box office.