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Aneet Padda wins GenZ Icon at CNN-News18 awards and moves the audience with a powerful, poetic speech thanking Mohit Suri, Ahaan Panday, and the Saiyaara team.
Aneet Padda delivered one of the most emotional and memorable speeches at the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2025 ceremony after winning the GenZ Icon award for Saiyaara.
The 2025 edition of CNN-News18’s prestigious Indian of the Year awards turned into a milestone moment for Bollywood’s rising stars Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. The young actors, who made their breakthrough with Mohit Suri’s romantic drama Saiyaara, won the GenZ Icon awards at the ceremony held on Friday, November 28.
The recognition marks their first major award-show win and their first jury-based honour for Saiyaara, making the evening a deeply emotional one—especially for Aneet, whose heartfelt speech quickly became one of the highlights of the night.
Aneet Padda’s Heartfelt & Poetic Speech Leaves Audience Moved
As Aneet stepped onstage to receive her GenZ Icon award, she opened with her signature honesty and vulnerability, immediately striking an emotional chord with the audience.
“I am not the best at speeches but I think I am very good at putting my heart on my sleeves and I am very good at confessions,” she began. “So I am going to make a confession from the heart.”
She then reflected on her childhood dreams, describing how surreal it felt to watch them come true before her eyes, “I think I am being reminded of a time when I was so young and I would yearn and I would sit in my bed and I would have to close my eyes to dream… And today, all I have to do is open my eyes, look around and it’s happened.”
Her words painted a vivid picture of the innocence of believing in magic—and the pain of losing that belief—only to rediscover it through her craft, “At the age of 5, you watch a show like Sonpari and tell your mom that magic is real. Then at 12, the world convinces you it’s not. And at 23, I fought tooth and nail to unlearn all of that and remind myself that magic will always find those who seek it.”
Acknowledging the magnitude of the moment, she said, “I truly understand that it’s such a privilege to be sharing this stage with such wonderful people… there is no greater honour.”
Aneet then delivered a humorous line that had the audience cheering, “And now for the most iconic line that we’ve all repeated to ourselves in washrooms, with a shampoo bottle in our hands. But now I think I have an award so I am gonna take it.”
Aneet Thanks Mohit Suri, Ahaan Panday & The Entire Saiyaara Team
In the latter half of her speech, Aneet expressed gratitude to her family, collaborators, and the people who shaped her journey.
“I’d like to thank my parents, my friends, my family… CNN-News18… the media for being so welcoming.”
She saved special appreciation for Saiyaara director Mohit Suri, “I’d like to thank Mohit Suri sir, whom I lovingly call Momo… He’s given me my forever and ever. And so has Ahaan. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think the film would have happened.”
Aneet also thanked casting director Shanoo Sharma and YRF’s Aditya Chopra for believing in her, “Thank you Shanoo Sharma for looking at me and not thinking I am the weirdest kid out there… Thank you Aditya Chopra sir for having faith in me.”
She concluded with an emotional tribute to her co-star and friend Ahaan, “Thank you to my co-actor and my best friend Ahaan Panday… You don’t realise the number of times things were really difficult on set and he always had my back. It’s the best feeling in the world to be onstage with one of the best men in the world.”
The Success Of Saiyaara: A New-Age Romance That Captivated Gen Z
Released in 2025, Saiyaara emerged as one of the year’s most emotionally resonant romantic dramas. Directed by Mohit Suri, known for films like Aashiqui 2 and Ek Villain, the movie blended atmospheric music, raw emotion, and modern storytelling.
Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda—both newcomers to leading roles—received widespread acclaim for their chemistry, vulnerability, and sincerity. Their performances connected deeply with Gen-Z audiences, who embraced the film’s themes of self-discovery, heartbreak, and healing.
With chart-topping songs, a strong online fanbase, and glowing reviews for the lead pair, Saiyaara cemented the two young actors as the next generation of Bollywood stars.
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun…Read More
Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he’s breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, he’s always on the hun… Read More
November 28, 2025, 20:37 IST
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