Mumbai: ‘Saiyaara’ stars Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda bagged the GenZ Icon awards at the CNN-News18 Indian Of The Year 2025 awards on Friday.
This is the first award the newcomers received after their debut film ‘Saiyaara’ turned out to be a blockbuster.
At the award ceremony, the actors impressed the audience with their honest speeches.
Thanking those behind his success, Ahaan admitted that there were several others who obstructed his path to success.
“I want to thank all the people who helped me. For starters, my mumma and my papa. I know you will be watching this and be very happy,” Ahaan said.
“Mohit Suri, you have given me life. You have given me something that, in my wildest imagination, I couldn’t have dreamed of. Shanoo Sharma, you have stood by me and believed in me even though there were so many naysayers. Aditya Chopra, sir, you have given me this whole platform… the whole team of Saiyaara,” the actor continued.
“The film crew, I know how thankless the job is, so thank you. It wouldn’t have been possible without you. All love here, always. The press, the audience. This means the world, thank you,” he concluded.
Aneet, on the other hand, said, “I am not the best at speeches but I think I am very good at putting my heart on my sleeves and I am very good at confessions. So I am going to make a confession from the heart.”
Reflecting on her childhood dreams, Aneet said: “I think I am being reminded of a time when I was so young and I would yearn and I would sit in my bed and I would have to close my eyes to dream… And today, all I have to do is open my eyes, look around and it’s happened.”
“At the age of 5, you watch a show like Sonpari and tell your mom that magic is real. Then at 12, the world convinces you it’s not. And at 23, I fought tooth and nail to unlearn all of that and remind myself that magic will always find those who seek it,” Aneet expressed.
“I truly understand that it’s such a privilege to be sharing this stage with such wonderful people… there is no greater honour,” she said.
“And now for the most iconic line that we’ve all repeated to ourselves in washrooms, with a shampoo bottle in our hands. But now I think I have an award so I am gonna take it,” she joked.
Thanking her co-star and friend Ahaan, she concluded, “Thank you to my co-actor and my best friend Ahaan Panday… You don’t realise the number of times things were really difficult on set and he always had my back. It’s the best feeling in the world to be onstage with one of the best men in the world.”
Directed by Mohit Suri, ‘Saiyaara’ released in theatres on July 18.
