'Saiyaara': How Did Ahaan Panday Get Cast in Superhit Romance? YRF Casting Director Shanoo Sharma Has The Details

As Saiyaara continues its dream run at the box office, shattering records and capturing hearts across the country, Shanoo Sharma, YRF’s longtime casting director, the force behind some of YRF’s biggest hits from Ek Tha Tiger (2012) to War (2019), is taking a moment to reflect. And right at the heart of her reflections is Ahaan Panday, Saiyaara’s breakout star and a discovery she’s nurtured for nearly a decade.

“Ahaan’s been with me for almost nine years,” she shared in an exclusive chat with The Hollywood Reporter India. “When I met him, he was a 19-year-old child looking like he was 15! I saw this post of him doing something, found him interesting, and asked to bring him in. But he refused to come in because he was tanned, looking dark, and he thought we’d reject him,” she laughed. “But the day we met, I knew it... that he and I are going to be working together.”

What followed was a friendship and mentorship that spanned rehearsals, dinners, and years of unwavering belief. “He has this need to constantly just do what he wants to do without any filters. He has this knack of charming you to do what he needs you to do—and this was there since day one. He became part of our team. He was so excited about YRF. He said, ‘I’m going to come every day,’” she added.

Now, watching the audience embrace Saiyaara and Ahaan’s performance, Sharma calls the past few weeks "magical and miraculous." “It’s been crazy... the love that’s coming in, the way people are responding. They’re finding the need to take time out and say what they’re feeling inside.” Saiyaara opened to largely positive reviews and has made record-breaking collections since its release on July 18th.

It’s a full-circle moment—for a casting director who trusted her gut, and for a young actor who walked into YRF with a tan and a dream.