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Ahaan Panday lands Ali Abbas Zafar's YRF action romance after Aditya Chopra's personal pitch for Bollywood's next star

Backed by Aditya Chopra, the rising star joins forces with Ali Abbas Zafar as YRF eyes a new box office franchise.

Ahaan Panday

Aditya Chopra backs Ahaan Panday for his second YRF project despite limited filmography

Instagram/ahaanpandayy
Pooja Pillai
By Pooja PillaiSep 29, 2025
Pooja Pillai

Pooja Pillai is an entertainment journalist with Asian Media Group, where she covers cinema, pop culture, internet trends, and the politics of representation. Her work spans interviews, cultural features, and social commentary across digital platforms.

She began her reporting career as a news anchor, scripting and presenting stories for a regional newsroom. With a background in journalism and media studies, she has since built a body of work exploring how entertainment intersects with social and cultural shifts, particularly through a South Indian lens.

She brings both newsroom rigour and narrative curiosity to her work, and believes the best stories don’t just inform — they reveal what we didn’t know we needed to hear.

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Highlights:

  • Following his big turn in Saiyaara, Ahaan Panday locks his next project with YRF.
  • Director Ali Abbas Zafar, known for Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai, will helm the untitled film.
  • The project is an action romance, a genre Zafar has previously excelled in.
  • Producer Aditya Chopra personally recommended Panday for the lead role.
  • Filming is scheduled to begin in the first part of 2026, with music sessions already underway.

The Saiyaara wave is far from over. Ahaan Panday, whose debut film became a genuine box office phenomenon, is not wasting any time. He has reportedly signed on for his next feature, an ambitious action romance for Yash Raj Films. The project will see him working under the direction of blockbuster filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, marking a major new phase for the young actor.

Ahaan Panday Aditya Chopra backs Ahaan Panday for his second YRF project despite limited filmography Instagram/ahaanpandayy


What is Ahaan Panday’s next film after Saiyaara?

So, what’s next for the guy who just delivered one of the year’s biggest hits? According to industry reports, it’s a hard-hitting action romance. The new film is expected to have intense passion sequences with high-stakes drama and action elements. The move is a sharp pivot from the intense romance of Saiyaara, deliberately designed to show a different side of Panday. The script is finalised, and the team has already started work on the music.

Ahaan Panday Ali Abbas Zafar signs Ahaan Panday for upcoming YRF action romance Instagram/ahaanpandayy


Why did Ali Abbas Zafar cast Ahaan Panday?

Look, it’s no accident that Ahaan landed this role. The word is that Aditya Chopra himself pushed for him. According to him, in an industry crammed with overexposed faces, Ahaan’s freshness is pure gold. He’s not that familiar, and right now, that’s the whole point. After Saiyaara, people are leaning in, trying to get a read on him. What’s he really about? Casting him now, before anyone else can, is a power move. Chopra isn’t hiding his short filmography. In fact, he’s using it by turning that mystery into the main event.


When does the Ahaan Panday and Ali Abbas Zafar film start shooting?

For fans eager to see this new collaboration, the timeline is taking shape. The production is aiming to get the cameras rolling around the first quarter of 2026. That gives plenty of time for pre-production, which will apparently include action workshops and look tests to craft a completely new image for Panday.

This film will mark the fifth collaboration between Zafar and the YRF banner, a partnership that so far has a flawless commercial record with hits like Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai.

aditya chopradirector ali abbas zafaryash raj filmssaiyaaraahaan panday

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