Actor Ahaan Panday has spoken about a viral clip from the release of his debut film Saiyaara, showing a fan watching the movie hooked to an IV drip. He revealed that the person was actually undergoing dialysis. Additionally, he shared details about a major surgery he underwent shortly after the film's release.
Mohit Suri's romantic blockbuster Saiyaara marked a dream debut for Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. Following its release, the film became a cultural phenomenon, with audiences openly weeping in packed theaters and social media flooded with reels and clips. Among the viral moments, a clip from Mumbai stood out: a man watching the film while hooked to an IV drip, symbolizing the movie's emotional impact.
In a recent interview with Esquire India, Ahaan expressed his astonishment at the incident. He stated, “You know what, that was actually a person who had dialysis, Mohit sir found out later because we were curious about how all of this was happening.” After the clip went viral, many netizens suspected it was a promotional stunt by the filmmakers.
Reflecting on the film's resonance with viewers, Ahaan shared, “I feel people reacted to it this way because for so many years we had such a set way of thinking about how things had to be done. It became so rigid. Maybe people just wanted something with artists not trying to be perfect, and this film allowed that. Romance is not perfect. Love is never perfect.”
Shortly after Saiyaara's release, at the peak of its success, Ahaan underwent a major surgery, which he described as “one of the most painful surgeries” with the longest recovery time. The procedure addressed a shoulder subluxation from a snowmobile accident years earlier that had impeded his fitness goals. He opted for corrective surgery before starting his next action feature directed by Ali Abbas Zafar.
Doctors had warned that post-surgery, his body would “go back to zero,” making it “nearly impossible” to achieve the required physique for the film. Undeterred, Ahaan “proved everyone wrong.” He explained, “I used to feel motivated by actors who had dramatic gym transformations. But that was usually from a certain unhealthy body type to a healthy one. This was different; I went from being injured, to not being able to move, to not being able to lift, to being able to lift.” He also spent months immobilized in a cast without drawing public attention. “I don’t know how nobody realised,” he added.
Ahaan's upcoming film is an action-romance with Ali Abbas Zafar, also starring Sharvari.
