Aneet Padda recalls sending ‘horrible biodata and Snapchat filter pics’ to dozens of Bollywood production houses before Saiyaara

Aneet Padda recalls sending ‘horrible biodata and Snapchat filter pics’ to dozens of Bollywood production houses before Saiyaara

Aneet Padda, who rose to fame with Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara, opened up about her early struggles in Bollywood and the series of missteps she made while chasing her dreams. In a recent interview with Cosmopolitan India, the young actress shared that ‘almost every production house in the Hindi film industry has my horrible biodata and Snapchat filter pictures.’

Aneet first caught the acting bug when she was 10 years old, performing in a school play.

She remembered that the applause she received made her feel seen for the first time. “At the time, I felt acting was an interesting way of being weird — and one that was applauded,” she said.

But that early spark was dimmed by a lack of support. “A lack of support from my friends as well as my father made me feel insecure. For the longest time, I told myself, ‘You are so silly for even wanting to do anything about this.’ I stopped dreaming for a while,” she added.

At 17, she tried again. Without industry contacts or guidance, Aneet turned to the internet in search of auditions. What she found instead were fraudulent casting calls. “I landed on shady websites that I later described as scams, basically,” she admitted. “Almost every production house in the Hindi film industry has my audition tape, a terrible biodata, and Snapchat filter pictures.”

She recalled sending 50 to 70 cold emails to production companies during the pandemic, hoping someone would notice her potential. “I was desperate to find something credible,” she said, reflecting on how she had no idea that professional opportunities were often filtered through casting agencies rather than direct outreach.

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Aneet’s fortunes changed when she debuted in Revathi’s Salaam Venky alongside Kajol and Vishal Jethwa, followed by her acclaimed role in Big Girls Don’t Cry. But it was Saiyaara that turned her into a household name. The romantic drama, which paired her with debutant Ahaan Panday, became one of the biggest hits of 2025, grossing ₹569.75 crore worldwide.

Industry stalwarts like Alia Bhatt, Karan Johar, and Mahesh Bhatt praised her performance, cementing her as one of Bollywood’s most promising new talents. For now, she hasn’t announced her next project, but after her raw honesty and hard-earned rise, fans are waiting eagerly for her next move.