Deanne Panday, mother of debutant Ahaan Panday, has publicly lauded casting director Shanoo Sharma amidst what some are calling a "weird" casting controversy surrounding the hit film Saiyaara. The romantic musical drama, directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Yash Raj Films (YRF), has catapulted Ahaan Panday into the limelight, but not without sparking debate about the casting process.

Saiyaara, which was released on July 18, 2025, stars Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in leading roles and follows the intense love story of Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday), a troubled musician, and Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda), a shy poet. The film has been a major commercial success, grossing over ₹541.13 crore worldwide and becoming the second highest-grossing Hindi film of 2025.

Shanoo Sharma, who is the casting director at Yash Raj Films, has been instrumental in launching several careers in Bollywood. However, her methods have recently come under scrutiny, with some actors publicly criticizing her casting choices as "weird". Despite the criticism, Deanne Panday took to social media to express her gratitude and appreciation for Shanoo's work in casting her son in Saiyaara.

In a recent interview, Shanoo Sharma shared an interesting anecdote about Ahaan Panday and how he almost didn't meet her. According to Shanoo, she had seen a post of Ahaan's and found him interesting, so she asked him to come in for a meeting. However, Ahaan initially refused because he felt he was too tanned and thought he would be rejected. Shanoo, however, was persistent and knew from the moment they met that they would work together. She recognized his potential and his unfiltered approach. Shanoo also mentioned that Ahaan has been like family to her and has been associated with YRF for almost nine years.

Shanoo Sharma revealed that before Pathaan, Yash Raj Films was not doing well, with many films underperforming after the pandemic. Aditya Chopra, the head of YRF, had faith in Ahaan and assured his parents that he planned to launch him after the pandemic.

The success of Saiyaara is attributed to its music, emotional narrative, and the fresh pairing of Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. Ahaan's portrayal of a vulnerable male protagonist has also been widely appreciated, contrasting with the traditional macho heroes of Bollywood.

Saiyaara's journey doesn't end in theaters; it is expected to be released on Netflix around Diwali 2025, continuing its run as a cultural phenomenon.