Entertainment Desk:

The breakout Saiyaara actor, Aneet Padda, is facing a kind of scrutiny usually reserved for Bollywood’s most established stars. At just 22, she admits confidence hasn’t always come naturally, with her early years in the industry marked more by anxiety than applause.

“I’ll be very honest; I started enjoying [acting] with this film,” Padda told the media.

“For three years before that, I just had terrible anxiety and depression, mostly because I had gone to Delhi to study, not fully being sure if I’d make it anywhere in the industry at all.”

That uncertainty now feels distant. With Saiyaara emerging as one of the year’s biggest breakout hits, Padda’s fears have given way to a new reality—stardom at full tilt. Alongside co-star Ahaan Panday, she’s riding a wave of attention rarely seen for newcomers.

In a conversation with Vogue India, the Gen Z star revealed she is learning to embrace her vulnerabilities. “I want to prove myself right,” she said, unbothered by Bollywood’s obsession with polish. She describes herself as someone who is “vulnerable, loves people too much, and cries easily.”

“The fear and doubt are there, but they don’t mean I can’t,” she explained. “All of us are confident; we know what we want, but we’re also overexposed and under pressure, even when we don’t need to be. I have so many expectations of myself. I want to prove that even with fear and doubt, I can still do it. Those things will always be there, but they’re no reason to stop.”