Ahaan Panday has quickly become a new sensation after his debut film, Saiyaara, shattered box office records. However, the actor revealed that his newfound success came after a period of immense personal and professional struggle, including the devastating loss of a loved one.

​In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the 27-year-old actor opened up about the uncertain years leading up to his debut, during which his launch as an actor was repeatedly delayed. During this time, he also lost his grandmother, Snehlata Pandey, who was his biggest supporter.

​”Something happened in my personal life that left me shattered,” he said. “A person very important to me [passed away]and she was my backbone; the only person that would call me a hero every day in my home and always meant it.”

​Finding Strength in Work

​Ahaan revealed that his grandmother’s death shook his confidence. “The only way to deal with that was to just keep working, and that’s what I did,” he shared.

​Before his acting debut, Ahaan worked as an assistant director on several films. He said that he would remind himself that it was a privilege to be on a film set, a dream for millions of people. “To be able to pursue art is a luxury; most people didn’t get to do that, but I did. That kept me going,” he added.

Eventually, he was discovered by Aditya Chopra, the head of Yash Raj Films, who promised to launch him as an actor. That promise led to his role in the musical love story Saiyaara, which went on to become the highest-grossing film led by newcomers in Indian cinema history, earning ₹563 crore at the box office.