Chetak Screen Awards 2026: Ahaan Panday thanks the audience for loving Saiyaara, Aneet Padda says the film gave them the space to discover themselves | Bollywood News
3 min readMumbaiApr 14, 2026 10:18 PM IST
Before its release, no one could have predicted that Saiyaara would become a trailblazing romantic film. Similarly, no one expected that its leads, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, would receive such overwhelming love and recognition from fans. But not only did the film capture hearts, it also garnered critical acclaim, with both actors winning Breakthrough Actor awards at the recently held Chetak Screen Awards 2026.
Although the leads were busy filming their upcoming projects and couldn’t be present physically to collect their trophies, they expressed their excitement through a heartfelt video message.
Ahaan Panday, visibly grateful, said: “Winning the Breakthrough Star of the Year (Male) feels incredibly special. The Screen Awards have always been known to celebrate hard work and transparency, so I’m truly, truly grateful for this honour. I’ve grown up watching the Screen Awards, and this means the world to me.”
Reflecting on her achievement, Aneet Padda said: “Thank you so much to the Screen Awards for giving me Breakthrough Star of the Year (Female) award. Saiyaara gave us more than just a film, it gave us a space to discover ourselves, express who we are, and tell the world what we do.”
Ahaan then took a moment to dedicate his award to the entire Saiyaara crew, acknowledging their hard work: “This belongs to every person who worked tirelessly behind the camera to bring out the best in us. This was only possible because of your hard work and dedication.”
Aneet expressed her gratitude towards the film’s key creators. “We are so grateful to Adi sir and Akshay sir for believing in us, and to our director, Mohit Suri, for trusting us with a story that demanded so much honesty. Mohit sir, we are forever grateful.”
Ahaan Panday concluded their message by thanking the audience: “And to everyone who watched Saiyaara, who accepted us and gave us so much love, the audience, we love you. Thank you!”
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Watch Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda’s video message here:
Earlier, in an exclusive chat with SCREEN, Ahaan Panday opened up about the aftermath of Saiyaara’s success, admitting to the pressure that came with it. He said, “I’ve woken up with a pressure I never knew of. I felt it day in and day out. But I realized the only thing that keeps me grounded is focusing on my work and the people I’m doing this for, my family and everyone who’s shown love. When I’m on set, everything fades into the background, and I’m only focusing on the next moment, what’s to come.”
Meanwhile, Aneet Padda, who continues to prioritize her education despite her rising stardom, shared her perspective:
“Education has always been important for me because it keeps me grounded. Acting can be very consuming. Having something outside of it helps me maintain a perspective. Learning also keeps you curious, whether it’s through academics or life experiences. Continuing to grow makes you a better artiste as well.”
