Mumbai, February 27 – Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, who is set to direct Ahaan Panday in his upcoming untitled project, has praised the actor, saying he brings a kind of old-school honesty to his performances, reminiscent of the romantic heroes we have grown up watching.
Ali Abbas Zafar: Ahaan Panday brings old-school honesty to his performances
Mumbai, February 27 Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar, who is set to direct Ahaan Panday in his upcoming untitled project, has praised the actor, saying he brings a kind of old-school honesty to his performances, reminiscent of the romantic heroes we have grown up watching.
Zafar said: "What I love about Ahaan is his sincerity. In today's time, when everything can feel performative and an act, he brings a kind of old-school honesty to his performances, like the romantic heroes we have grown up watching and loving."
"The camera picks up on that. You can't act vulnerable on screen, it doesn't land, and he isn't afraid to be vulnerable, which is incredible."
Ali added: "Audiences have connected with Ahaan because he's not trying to impress them. He's simply present in the moment. There's a softness to him, but also strength. That balance is what makes people root for him, especially in love stories."
He genuinely believes that Ahaan has the potential to become one of those "rare romantic heroes who make you feel something long after the film ends."
Ahaan will begin filming Ali's film on March 30 in Mumbai, and then travel to the UK to shoot for approximately 60 days for this action entertainer, which also features the young actor Sharvari, opposite him.
Ali believes that Ahaan has a certain vulnerability that makes him perfect for a genre like this.
The filmmaker said: "A true romantic hero is not defined by softness — he is defined by emotional intensity, and this translates beautifully into action. Romance gives a hero grace. Action gives him fire. When grace and fire meet, it is a potent combination for audiences to see an entirely new side to Ahaan that they haven't seen."
"Ahaan has vulnerability in his eyes — and that's what makes an action-romance powerful."
He added that audiences don't just want to see punches thrown on screen, they want to see and feel the purpose behind the punch.
"If the hero is fighting for what he believes in, what he loves, and what he wants to protect, the action has far greater emotional stakes. People connect to it on a deeper emotional level."