May has been busy for Saiyaara (2025) star Aneet Padda, who was shooting the final schedule of her next, Shakti Shalini. Like all good things, this one came to an end too. On May 27, director Aditya Sarpotdar wrapped the horror comedy at Chitrarth Studio in Powai, where they filmed an elaborate sequence that sees the celebration of the protagonist’s victory over evil.

The latest chapter in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe sees Padda in a double role — as an ordinary woman-turned-protector Shakti, and an evil spirit Shalini. The story revolves around the vengeful ghost who punishes men, as she was betrayed and killed in a brutal manner, and her eventual face-off with Shakti.

About the last day of the shoot, a source shared, “Massive sets depicting a Rajasthani village and the interiors of a house were built. The sequence shows the village people, especially women, celebrating the defeat of evil.”

Things have progressed briskly on Shakti Shalini — also starring Vishal Jethwa and Viineet Kumar Siingh — since the horror comedy rolled in March. In early May, Padda and the team headed to Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

The source elaborated, “Viineet, who portrays the antagonist, and Aneet shot the climax across Chambal, Datia, Antri, Panihar, Gwalior, and Morena in Madhya Pradesh. They filmed significant portions in Dholpur and Barkhandi in Rajasthan. Nana Patekar and Seema Biswas joined the unit in May.”

Like Shraddha Kapoor aptly pointed out, Aneet Padda is the perfect blend of cuteness and acting, but that doesn’t mean she lacks fierceness. The ‘Saiyaara’ breakout star is reportedly playing both a goddess and a demoness in Maddock Horror Comedy Universe’s (MHCU) ‘Shakti Shalini’. After months of gruelling shooting that began in March this year, the film has now entered the final leg of production.

The current outdoor schedule is expected to continue through May, with the team aiming to wrap principal photography by the end of the month before shifting focus to post-production and VFX work. The makers are in no hurry to lock the release date yet.

A source close to the film says, “The idea is to finish the film properly and then spend enough time on the VFX. If everything goes as planned, they’re looking at a January 2027 release.”

Since Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Love & War’ is scheduled to release on January 21, the source says, “The makers are tentatively looking at the first half of the month. [But the final] call will be taken post the release of ‘Cocktail 2’, from the same stable.”

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‘Shakti Shalini’ marks a reunion for Aneet Padda and Vishal Jethwa, who previously shared the screen in the film, ‘Salaam Venky’ (2022)

Everyone has wanted to see more of Aneet Padda ever since she broke out with the sleeper hit, Saiyaara (2025). What if we told you that you’ll see two of her in her next, Shakti Shalini? mid-day has exclusively learnt that Padda plays a double role in Aditya Sarpotdar’s directorial venture, which is the next chapter in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe.

As the film’s title suggests, producer and co-writer Amar Kaushik and director Sarpotdar have etched out two powerful roles for the actor — the protector Shakti, and the evil force Shalini. From what we’ve heard, the horror comedy will see Shakti as an ordinary woman who transforms into an indestructible force when her family is attacked by an evil spirit.

A source told us, “Rooted in Bengali folklore and mythology, the movie revolves around the eternal battle between good and evil. The story is about a vengeful female ghost, dwelling in trees and water bodies, who punishes men, as she was betrayed and killed in a brutal manner. In Bengal, the goddess invoked to destroy evil spirits is Goddess Kali. She is recognised as the ultimate form of Shakti. Here, the character Shakti is pitted against the spirit.”

Sarpotdar took the project, also starring Vishal Jethwa and Viineet Kumar Siingh, on floors in Mumbai last month. The unit is currently shooting in Madh Island, where a massive set, depicting a small town in West Bengal, has been built.

The source added, “Next, they will head to Madhya Pradesh for an extensive schedule. Crucial scenes will be filmed in Datia, Gwalior, Morena, and other towns.”

Actor Aneet Padda’s sister Reet Padda has gone off social media after facing backlash over her remarks on Dhurandhar The Revenge. Screenshots of her Instagram responses, in which she called the film “propaganda”, went viral, drawing sharp reactions from fans.

In her posts, Reet wrote, “For Dhurandhar, it literally serves as a government-friendly narrative… Call it propaganda? Yep. Deny it? Not a chance.” She also took aim at The Kashmir Files (2022), adding, “Take a sliver of truth, sprinkle in some absurdly inflated numbers, and suddenly you’ve got a full-blown narrative against a community.”

Following the row, Reet first made her account private. It now appears to have been deleted, with her profile no longer accessible. Her LinkedIn account has also been taken down.

For long, the question was: who will be the lead in Shakti Shalini, the latest instalment in Maddock Films’ horror comedy universe? That was settled when the banner announced that Aneet Padda will front the film. Now, many have been wondering who plays the antagonist in Aditya Sarpotdar’s directorial venture, and we’ve got the answer. Viineet Kumar Siingh’s team has confirmed to mid-day that he has been roped in as the horror comedy’s villain.

Siingh, who starred in Mukkabaaz (2018) and Superboys Of Malegaon (2025), has joined the shoot in Mumbai.

The actor’s team revealed, “This will be a departure from anything that Viineet has played before. He essays a darker antagonist here.”

A week-long shoot in Mumbai is on the cards, after which Siingh will take a break. The unit will then move to Madhya Pradesh. A source shared, “Shakti Shalini has high-octane drama, and the makers believe that an ensemble cast of Aneet, Viineet, and Vishal Jethwa will bring the gravitas that it needs.”

Debutante Aneet Padda basked in the mammoth success of her musical romance, Saiyaara, all of last year. Now, she is ready to move on to her next project. The climax of the Ayushmann Khurrana-led supernatural romance, Thamma (2025), teased with a glimpse of Shakti Shalini, the next story in the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe (MHCU). Sources tell mid-day that the first schedule of the horror comedy has been chalked out, with the pre-production about to wrap up.

“Aneet will begin shooting for the film in March. It’s going to be a marathon schedule. The film was earlier set to start rolling in January, but pre-production needed more time,” informs a source.

Rumours are rife that Homebound (2025) actor Vishal Jethwa is paired opposite Padda in the film. While the makers are mum about the director, mid-day has learnt that Aditya Sarpotdar — who helmed Thamma — has been signed on to captain this ship.

“Aditya’s relationship with Maddock Films began with Munjya (2024). He has a flair for combining mythology, horror, and humour. Shakti Shalini is fleshed out slightly different from the other MHCU films. [It will have] far more drama,” says an insider of the Christmas release.

One of the surprise blockbuster hits of 2025 has been Saiyaara, the musical romantic drama directed by Mohit Suri and starring debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. The film crossed the ₹500 crore mark worldwide and become the highest grossing debutante-led Hindi film. With audiences raving about the lead pair’s chemistry, Saiyaara’s intimacy coordinator (IC) Akshay Murarka opens up on how the film’s intimate scenes were filmed.

He says, “Since Ahaan and Aneet were newcomers, building trust came first. We conducted workshops in the first week of shooting and did exercises around consent, boundaries, trust, and comfort. These sessions are mainly to help actors feel secure in their own bodies and with each other. They are structured, with every detail discussed, agreed upon, and carefully staged; nothing is ever assumed. Once that foundation of safety was in place, the intimacy on screen felt natural, and I think that honesty really connected with the audience.”

Sharing details of how the shots were planned, Akshay adds, “In the song Tum Ho Toh, there’s a sequence of the two of them in a bathtub. The intention was to capture young, playful love without it seeming vulgar. A lot of care went into ensuring strict closed-set protocols, along with the use of modest garments, body tape, and physical barriers, so the actors’ safety and comfort were never compromised.” 

About the song Barbaad, he says, “There is a bedroom sequence where the emotion called for passion. Every moment was carefully discussed and choreographed so the intimacy felt honest and intense.”

Being a man in the profession, how does he ensure women artistes are comfortable? “I’m aware of the responsibility that comes when actors place their trust in me. There have been instances where I wasn’t brought on as an IC because a director, female actor, or the production felt they might feel more comfortable with a female IC, and I completely respect that. My effort is always to approach intimacy with empathy and neutrality,” he concludes.

Actors Aneet Padda (23) and Ahaan Panday’s (27) onscreen chemistry in the romantic drama Saiyaara was widely praised, with fans swooning over their pairing. This led to speculations that they might be dating in real life as well. However, Ahaan has now set the record straight, saying that they do not share a romantic relationship.

“Aneet is my best friend. The whole internet thinks we’re together, but we’re not. Chemistry isn’t always romantic; it’s about comfort, safety, and being seen. We’ve both made each other feel that,” said Ahaan in an interview with GQ India.

He added, “But I’ll never have a bond like I have with Aneet. Before Saiyaara, we both loved this quote by [novelist] Paulo Coelho: ‘It’s the possibility of a dream coming true that makes life interesting.’ We dreamed this together, and it came true. What we’ve shared is so special.”

The actor also confirmed that he is currently single.

Actor Aneet Padda, who made waves among Gen Z audiences with Saiyaraa earlier this year, is gearing up for her next feature, Shakti Shalini, part of a popular horror-comedy franchise. But before the cameras roll, the actor is focused on completing her final-year BA (Hons) Political Science exams at the University of Delhi.

A source reveals, “Aneet is set to appear for her college exams in December and January before she begins shooting for Shakti Shalini, which she is headlining.”

Industry insiders share that the actor has been striking a careful balance between academics and work. “Her schedule is being managed perfectly so she can devote time to her studies while wrapping up key professional commitments,” adds another source.

Aneet signed Shakti Shalini at 22, and the film is slated for a theatrical release on December 24, 2026. The makers recently shared announcement teaser alongside their latest outing Thamma. Before Saiyaraa, Aneet appeared in Salaam Venky (2022), playing the blind love interest of Vishal Jethwa.

Her role in Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara turned Aneet Padda into an overnight sensation earlier this year. But according to the actor, her big break came after years of uncertainty.

In a recent interview, Aneet recalled looking for auditions online as a teenager. “I was 17 and began searching online for acting auditions and landed on shady websites in the process. They were scams, basically,” she noted.

“Almost every production house in the Hindi film industry has my audition tape, a terrible biodata, and Snapchat filter pictures,” she revealed to Cosmopolitan India, adding that she had sent 50-70 cold emails to producers during the height of the pandemic as she was desperate to find work.

Aneet also recounted feeling “unsettled” and admitted that she had to grapple with the lack of support from her family and friends while she was juggling acting projects with her studies.

“For the longest time, I told myself, ‘You are so silly for even wanting to do anything about this.’ I didn’t know if I would make it. I stopped dreaming for a while. Of course, I had some projects, but I didn’t know if I’d have enough safety to be able to make money only off of acting. So I was looking at schools to go to after graduating from college.”

Saiyaara has broken global records and won hearts over the past two weeks. The craze reached unprecedented levels, with people thronging the theatres, and the Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda-starrer transitioned from being a young love story to a phenomenon. On The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra this week, we got the captain of the ship, director Mohit Suri, to decode the film:

It feels good to receive this love. I have been spending time with my wife (Uditaa Goswami; actor) after the release, she’s been asking me to do household things (laughs). But I take some time for myself daily from 6.30 pm to 9 pm, as I get calls from all over the country. I’ve told her to just let me feel the love. It’s taken me 20 years to be here.

He has known me since I was a child, assisting on the sets of (Awara Paagal Deewana; 2002) with Vikram Bhatt (filmmaker). We tried to work together a couple of times, but things never fell into place. Even when Aashiqui 2 (2013) and Ek Villain (2014) had done well [he encouraged me]. He never lost faith in me. For him to come out there publicly... It’s something very few people do. What else can I ask for?

We were shooting the piano scene, when Vaani (Aneet’s character) gets Krish’s (Ahaan’s character) name wrong. The way Ahaan gave that shot, and the way Aneet spoke... that was the day. I turned to our creative producer (Sumana Ghosh) and said, “I don’t know about the fate of this film, but I know we are making a great one”. When Adi sir (Aditya Chopra, producer) saw the movie in its loosest form, he said, “No matter how much this opens at, it’s going to do at least Rs. 100 crore”. I was in class eight when I saw his movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) in the theatre. I said, “This is the kind of film I want to make someday”. For him to say this... that’s what an experienced producer should do. That’s when we felt we were making something special. While the collections are most welcome, this love is something I really wanted.

If recent box office trends are anything to go by, Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara can be described as something that came out of the syllabus. Headlined by newcomers Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, the film has amassed an opening collection of Rs 21.25 crore, becoming one of the biggest openers of 2025 so far. It has also registered the biggest opening for a Bollywood film starring newcomers. It’s being talked about because it challenges the notion that romance is dead on the big screen, and that you need a star to open a film big.

But did anyone see this coming? mid-day asks trade experts. Bihar-based exhibitor and trade observer Vishek Chauhan says people who had their ears to the ground, did. “We got the first indication when Laila Majnu [2018] re-released and did tremendous business, followed by re-releases of Rockstar [2011] and Veer Zaara [2004] in 2024. When Sanam Teri Kasam [2016] re-released, it blew the lid. With their attendance, the audience told makers that they wanted more intense romantic films with solid music,” he explains, adding that it’s the youth who has championed the film.

“Saiyaara is being pushed and patronized by Gen Z. If the youth is not interested in your film, it cannot have a big opening. Since Saturday, calls have been pouring in from the family audience. It is breaking out in a different demographic now,” he says.

“Shah Rukh [Khan] started his career [with romance]. For me, he is my hero. But for this generation, he doesn’t have the same impact. He is either Vikram Rathod or Pathaan [his characters in Jawan and Pathaan, 2023]. Ranbir Kapoor gave his generation many romantic films — Rockstar, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani [2013], and Tamasha [2015]. Sadly, this generation did not have one, until Saiyaara,” he adds.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh says Saiyaara showcases the power of music and visual assets, and proves that excessive promotion yields no benefit. “Back in the day, filmmakers focused on music. Even today, when we play Antakshari, we sing old songs because they are [still] fresh. Today, music is not given importance. It could have been a risk to not have actors promote the film, but the makers of Saiyaara were relying on the trailer and the music, which worked big time.”

There’s chatter that the number hype around Saiyaara, a YRF venture, is partly manufactured, aided by PR. Freelance journalist and filmmaker Fenil Seta calls it “denial”. “When I went [for a morning show], I was shocked to see 60-70 per cent occupancy. So, the hype is real and organic. We should [know] what is happening on the ground beyond online claims.”

Even a filmmaker who has delivered many hits over his 20-year career can be anxious and nervous ahead of a film’s release. Director Mohit Suri, whose Saiyaara hit the screens on July 18, says he feels an enhanced sense of responsibility with the film.

He reasons, “My actors are new. This is my first collaboration with a company [Yash Raj Films] that is known for their love stories. I was always the youngest one on the set when I started out. Now I am a grown-up, shouldering people who bank on me.”

Suri is telling a love story of a young musician and a lyricist with the film that launches Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in Bollywood. He remembers producer Aditya Chopra telling him early on that the love story needed new faces. How did he end up zeroing in on Panday and Padda?

“Ahaan was doing something with YRF before, which didn’t work out. I met him a couple of times, and his audition wasn’t working for me. I was going to meet him and say no. So, we went for a last dinner. That turned out to be a mad, raging night, where he was no longer trying to impress me. That’s when I saw the real him and saw the character come alive. I told him to stop calling me sir; he got into a bro-zone with me. When he stopped pretending to be somebody, I found the magic in him. For the girl, I went through a lot of people and a lot of rejection. Some really good options came to me, but I wanted a girl who comes from a Punjabi background – a city girl with middle-class values. It was after four months that I found Aneet.”

In March, mid-day reported about the similarities between the plots of Saiyaara and filmmaker Anurag Basu’s yet-untitled next with Kartik Aaryan (Many renditions of a rockstar’s romance, March 6). Both films look at how heartbreak influences a musician’s journey.

Ask Suri about the similarities, and he says, “I’m very close to Dada [Basu]. I have worked as an assistant [to him]. So, I met him when he called. He has the right to do that. I went and narrated this film to him. He had started his film and I had finished mine by then. He didn’t seem worried in the least. There was a Rockstar [2011] being made when I was making Aashiqui 2 [2013]. This is not Interstellar [2014] that we would worry about."

Suri had his own challenges in the film, one to live up to his own expectations and secondly to save himself from self- censoring. He says, "You know, there's a really interesting scene in the film where he gets violent with his own father. And I remember while coming in one day I saw Yash ji's statue outside. I called Mahesh Bhatt. I said, 'There's a scene that I'm shooting in the film. And this is a really good production house and I might be pushing (the envelope) too much. Maybe my morality is different, but the father and son in my film are getting violent with each other in the middle of the road'. It's emotional for me because I didn't realize my DP profile was a picture of my hand with my son's hand. And he said that, 'I know what your relation with your father was, and seeing your DP picture I know where it comes from. No matter what you do better, I know you wont get this scene morally wrong. Don't question yourself. I think the morality of the filmmaker cannot be to be agreeable. The audience will always get the honesty of a maker'."

Commerce is a big aspect of a Mohit Suri movie. "You need to make money for people to keep making films. I've been on the film set since I was 17 and I'm 44 today. More than 50% of my life, I've spent on set. I've been directing for 20 years. I have to keep giving that box office so called successes so that I can keep making films for the rest of my life."

We ask him what he thinks is broken in the system that films are not making money? "I think that there needs to be a certain discipline in how much we make a movie. The budgets of it. The problem is creative people are thinking about economics. And economics people are thinking creatively. I find at get-togethers, people talk either about fashion or business. No one's talking about a story. When we were young and our seniors got into parties, they spoke about art. I think now they talk about business and tie ups and profitability. So I think we need to bring the art back. Money will follow."

For a filmmaker, few things are as fulfilling as seeing one’s protégé follow in their footsteps. Mahesh Bhatt, who launched director and his nephew Mohit Suri with Zeher (2005) two decades ago, is proud that the latter’s film Saiyaara is reminding viewers of his blockbuster Aashiqui (1990). Just like the 1990 romantic drama had given Bollywood two new faces in Rahul Roy and Anu Aggarwal, the July 18 release will serve as the launchpad for Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. The similarities don’t end there — both films are musicals.

“When I made Aashiqui, I did it with a lot of purity. I was fortunate that people connected to it and made the two newcomers into overnight stars,” recalls Bhatt. The senior filmmaker expects nothing less from Suri. 

“I expect Mohit to do the same with Saiyaara. It’s amazing to see that people have the nostalgia of Aashiqui when they are seeing Saiyaara, but I can tell you that it will rewrite the rules of what a romantic film should be in today’s time. Every new generation must surpass the earlier one. Mohit is my protégé, and I couldn’t be happier if he surpasses me in every way possible.”

In 2013, Bhatt trusted Mohit Suri to take the Aashiqui franchise forward with Aashiqui 2. As Suri has crafted another love story, the veteran filmmaker reveals that he always pushed him to take a punt on newcomers. “I’m thrilled to see him take the plunge with two talented actors. Saiyaara [feels] like a breath of fresh air. That only happens with newcomers,” states Bhatt.

Avantika Vandanapu (third from left) of Mean Girls’ fame sent her audition tape from Los Angeles

The first thing that strikes one about Big Girls Don’t Cry is that its posters have seven relatively unknown faces staring back at you. This, when the young adult series also stars Pooja Bhatt, Zoya Hussain and Raima Sen. Sudhanshu Saria, who has helmed the Prime Video offering with three directors, says it was a conscious decision.

“We are batting on the front foot in terms of who this show is for. Amazon surprised us. We never saw any marketing material that didn’t embrace the show’s intent. Everything about the show had a creator-first approach, and Amazon set that standard,” he beams.  

Helmed by Saria, Nitya Mehra, Karan Kapadia and Kopal Naithani, Big Girls Don’t Cry studies the friendships and rivalries, joys and troubles of growing-up years through the journey of seven students at an all-girls’ boarding school. One of the series’ win is that unlike other YA offerings, it has cast age-appropriate actors— Avantika Vandanapu, Aneet Padda, Dalai, Vidushi, Lhakyila, Afrah Sayed and Akshita Sood.

The National Award-winning director recalls, “When we began the casting process, Shivam Gupta and Romil Modi [casting directors] were asked to join forces. We were casting out of Los Angeles and Kathmandu, Pune and Kolkata. I didn’t want us to be stuck in the eco-chamber of Bandra. Our rule was that you can’t bring us actors over 21 years of age. They need to look the part. Casting 25-to-30-year-olds is not a believable portrait.”

For the series’ world building, Saria and Mehra tapped into their experiences from The Doon School and Welham Girls’ School. “The world of cinema sexualizes high school. There are short skirts that go shorter. Welham is a world of salwars. Nitya and I come from the Dehradun ecosystem and know this world of boarding schools,” says the director. In telling authentic stories of teenage girls, the makers faced another battle—that of making these girls believe in their natural beauty.

“Make-up on our set involved removing any the girls might have put. We had to keep reminding the girls that they are gorgeous the way they are, with acne, facial hair and all. By the end of it, they thought of me as the lip-balm hating uncle. In the social media world, girls are not enjoying how naturally wonderful they look.”