Oct 15, 2026 3:15pm IST
Aneet Padda On The Pressure To Recreate The Success Of ‘Saiyaara’ With ‘Shakti Shalini’: ‘I Don’t Want To Give Attention To People’s Expectations’ (EXCLUSIVE)
After the massive success of “Saiyaara,” Aneet Padda has entered a different zone with “Shakti Shalini,” the next part of the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe. While the character arc of “Shakti Shalini” is completely contrasting with her last romantic blockbuster, it doesn’t bother the actress, as she doesn’t carry the pressure of “Saiyaara” or pay heed to people’s expectations. She notes, “When I started shooting for ‘Shakti Shalini,’ I thought maybe I would carry that weight with me. But I never did, because I went back to the time when I was shooting for ‘Saiyaara.’ I remember going to bed every single day asking myself, ‘How will I show up on set every single day? How can I make myself feel as honest and as vulnerable as I can be?’ Ahaan and I had so many conversations about it.”
The rapport between the co-stars helped. She shares, “Obviously, we were two nervous kids who didn’t know what to expect. It was his first film. I had done some work before, but it was my first big break. Also, it was the first time that I could properly act without worrying about a million other things. Like having to deal with the contract, negotiating money and things like, ‘Will I get a flight ticket or like a train ticket?’ And so, it was a very pure feeling because I could finally surrender to the thing I’ve loved all my life: acting. We would talk about those things because we were both going through these big pivotal moments of our life together, and we felt very connected.”
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“We wanted to walk into this film thinking, ‘Who cares how it does?’ What matters is ‘Am I enjoying it?’ ‘Am I feeling like a part of something bigger than myself?’ And honestly, I did. I am so grateful for that mindset that Ahaan and I cultivated. It has become such a core part of us to not worry about things like that. At the end of the day, this is my life, and I don’t want to give attention to people’s expectations. I want to give my time to something honest and vulnerable, which is my film and being an actor,” explains Aneet.
The actress says she aims for creative satisfaction and chooses characters that have resonance and relevance with a personal touch. “Being an actor is a beautiful thing if you separate yourself from the business side of it. I want to look back when I’m 80 years old and I want to see that I lived a life that was mine. A life where I did the things I wanted to do and I did them the way that I wanted to do them. I want to see myself as the artist that I’ve always wanted to be. Someone who didn’t give in to things which were far from who I really am. Because on my deathbed, I think that is the life I’d be really proud of. I’d be very sad if I did anything that strays from that.”
Padda believes “Shakti Shalini” allowed her to explore a new territory altogether. “I have been lucky to get ‘Shakti Shalini.’ It’s by definition, the exact thing I’m going to want to do after ‘Saiyaara.’ It’s so different. It has action, romance and supernatural elements. I’ve gotten the chance to explore a completely different version of me.” The actress also reveals that this film fulfilled her wish of getting the opportunity of having a film entirely on her shoulders. “I wanted to do a solo film, to be as blunt as I can be. I wanted to be able to say that this is my movie. As an actor, it’s on my shoulders. And how many women get to do that? I just felt very lucky to be able to have that in my second film. Even though it’s completely on my shoulders and that can be a little bit intimidating, whatever happens with it is mine to own.”
Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, “Shakti Shalini” also features Vishal Jethwa and Viineet Kumar Singh in prominent roles.
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