Last Updated:November 20, 2025, 20:57 IST

Ahaan Panday says he grew up “behind a fence”, opening up on being unfairly grouped with star kids.

Ahaan Panday’s next film is to be directed by Ali Abbas Zafar.

After stepping into the spotlight with the attention he has received since the release of his debut film, Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara, Ahaan Panday is now opening up about the one label he feels he never truly fit into — “star kid”. In his new GQ interview, the rising actor broke down why people get his background wrong, how his family shaped his world and why he grew up watching Bollywood from the outside, not the inside.

Ahaan Panday may have become a breakout name now, but behind that moment is a journey he claims was anything but privileged. In the interview, Ahaan finally addressed the constant chatter about him being grouped with Bollywood’s star kids, a tag he strongly believes never belonged to him.

Opening up about where he comes from, Ahaan said his childhood was worlds away from the typical industry legacy people attach to him. Despite being surrounded by film people, he always felt like an outsider looking in. “I’ve always felt like the place I come from is behind a fence. I can reach out through it, but I can’t quite touch what’s on the other side,” he said, adding that even as a child he sensed that distance.

Ahaan’s father, Chikki Pandey, though well known socially, is not an actor. His mother, Deanne Pandey, is celebrated in fitness and wellness circles, but she never belonged to the film industry. The one person from the movies in Ahaan’s close family is his uncle — Chunky Panday — and even that, he says, came with its own learning curve. Chunky’s highs and lows shaped how his parents viewed the industry and why they were initially against Ahaan joining it.

Ahaan recalled starting young, long before his cousin Ananya Panday debuted. “I was 16 when I gave my first audition. At the time, Ananya wasn’t even working yet,” he said. But while he was ready to take the leap, his parents were not. They had seen Chunky Panday’s ups and downs and weren’t sure if their son should choose the same path.

He explained how their fear clashed with his teenage confidence. “My parents weren’t keen on me joining the industry… They knew it would be risky, and they were scared. I wasn’t — at 16, there’s no such thing as fear,” he said.

After the massive success of Saiyaara, Ahaan Panday will next be seen in Ali Abbas Zafar’s action romance film, alongside Sharvari. Fans have been eagerly waiting for updates about the film. According to a Mid Day report, Bobby Deol has been roped in for the film as well. He will play Ahaan’s adversary in the yet-untitled action drama.

Ali Abbas Zafar will reportedly be heading to the UK in December for a month-long recce before the shoot kicks off in February 2026. They will be shooting the film in London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Leeds.

Shreyanka Mazumdar

Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring…Read More

Shreyanka Mazumdar is Chief Sub Editor of the entertainment team at News18. With an unbridled passion for all things Bollywood, she loves deep-diving into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, bring… Read More