Aneet Padda and Ahaan Panday in Saiyaara.
Credit: Yash Raj Films
New Delhi: Debutant Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda have bagged the IMDb 'Breakout Star STARmeter' awards for their romantic hit "Saiyaara".
In the Mohit Suri directorial, Panday plays the role of Krish Kapoor, an emotionally complex musician while Padda plays a budding journalist, Vaani Batra, who aids Krish through writing songs. Their romance and the challenges that come with it forms the basic premise of "Saiyaara".
The pair received the awards based on their performance on IMDb’s Popular Indian Celebrities rankings, which measures engagement from the platform's global user base.
The duo had topped IMDb's popularity rankings since the romance-drama released on July 18. The two stars have surpassed India, with both performers landing in the global top 100 — Padda at 64 and Panday at 75.
Panday said the award marks the first of his career and "the fact that it comes directly from audiences makes it all the more special". He also thanked Yash Raj Films, Aditya Chopra and Suri who he called the "best mentor".
"IMDb was a portal for me to lose myself into world cinema. To be mentioned on it, to be a part of it, to be honored by it, and to know that I’m up there somewhere, would have been something that that a 12-year-old on his box computer could never have fathomed, but always dreamed of," Pandey said.
"Sharing this award with my co-star Aneet makes this achievement even more special. She deserves not only this but the world. For now, I want to focus on my journey ahead. I want to focus on my next film and work twice as hard to deliver another performance that I can be proud of. I’m overwhelmed to have received this unanimous love from people, it still shocks me to this day, and honestly, I think the only way to go forward is keep my head low and keep working." Padda also thanked IMDb for the "meaningful recognition", a career first for her as well.
"I’m delighted that ‘Saiyaara’ and my performance in it has resonated with audiences worldwide, which has led to my winning the IMDb ‘Breakout Star’ STARmeter Award. Winning an accolade that is driven by audiences makes this truly a meaningful recognition. I’m thrilled to have entertained people with a performance that has touched them," she said.
Padda dedicated the award to the cast and crew of the film and thanked Chopra and Suri for their belief in her. She also praised her co-star Pandey.
"It’s been an absolute joy to share the screen and this journey with him. It is truly precious when people believe in your skills and give you that one chance you need. Playing Vaani has been one of the most joyful and intense experiences of my life. I can’t wait to be back on screen soon and do what I love most, bringing stories and incredible characters to life. I want to focus on my next film, take all this love and channelize it to do even better on screen next time," she added.
Since its release, "Saiyaara" has become the most successful film in Suri's career by earning over Rs 500 crore at the box office. Suri has also directed films like "Zeher", "Aashiqui 2" and "Ek Villain".