Ahaan Panday, born on December 23, 1997, in Mumbai, India, is an emerging Bollywood actor and the cousin of actress Ananya Panday. He is the son of celebrity fitness trainer Deanne Panday and businessman Chikki Panday.
Early Life and Education
Ahaan grew up surrounded by the film industry but initially kept a low profile. He attended Oberoi International School in Mumbai and later pursued higher studies in filmmaking and acting.
Known for his creative social media sketches during his teenage years, he built a fan base long before entering mainstream cinema.
Breakthrough with Saiyaara
Ahaan made his much-anticipated Bollywood debut in 2025 with Mohit Suri’s romantic drama Saiyaara, opposite newcomer Aneet Padda.
The film became a box office sensation, grossing over ₹518 crore worldwide within 23 days. His portrayal of Krish Kapoor—a passionate musician inspired by the grit of Virat Kohli—earned praise for its emotional depth and screen presence.
Acting Style and Public Image
Ahaan is often lauded for his natural acting style, charming personality, and dedication to his craft. His preparation for Saiyaara reportedly included extensive acting workshops, voice training, and learning to play musical instruments to add authenticity to his role.
An assignment.
He held the position of assistant director from 2016 to 2022.
Panday started as an assistant director on Bollywood movies like Freaky Ali (2016), Rock On 2 (2016), and Mardaani 2 (2019).
He also worked as an assistant director on the Netflix program The Railway Men (2023), which starred R. Madhavan and Kay Kay Menon.
In The Railway Men, he wrote about the professional and personal problems that came up during production.
He is also involved in social media and modelling.
Panday walked the runway for designer Nandita Mehtani and at fashion shows for KOOVS.com before he became an actor.
He became very popular on social media.
He has a million followers on Instagram, where he posts exercise and behind-the-scenes videos.
First movie role: Saiyara (2025).
His first movie role was as a promising singer named Krish Kapoor, which he played opposite Aneet Padda in Saiyaara, which was directed by Mohit Suri and made by Yash Raj Films.
The movie did well at the box office and with critics.
The film made ₹20 crore on its first day and ₹80 crore over its opening weekend, receiving a lot of praise for the new lead pair. It’s worth noting that Ananya Panday openly praised him.
Future Prospects
With Saiyaara’s massive success, Ahaan Panday has quickly become one of Bollywood’s most talked-about newcomers. Industry insiders expect him to sign multiple big-banner projects in the coming months, marking the start of a promising career.