Can Saiyaara’s Ahaan Panday & Aneet Padda stand out in today’s saturated brand‑endorsement market?

Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara, from the Yash Raj Films (YRF) universe, continues to attract attention and make waves—its global box-office collection has already surpassed ₹400 crore. While the film’s music and songs support the storyline beautifully, its minimal promotional strategy—a form of “aesthetic marketing”—has become the real talking point.

How have Bollywood’s promotional strategies panned out?

Instead of the usual saturation through late-night interviews, influencer shout-outs, reality show appearances, airport photo-ops, social media blitzes and exhaustive press tours, Saiyaara opted for an understated, nearly “silent” rollout. That very absence became a conversation starter.

By consciously stepping back, the film provoked curiosity: “Who is Ahaan Panday?” “Who is Aneet Padda?” People began searching their names, speculating about their backstories—and the brands they endorse—or might endorse—after this unexpected success.

Padda has featured in campaigns like Paytm’s #DilKeAccountSePaytmKaro, Cadbury Silk Bubbly, and Tata Neu Pass × AirAsia—yet never as a marquee brand ambassador. Panday, meanwhile, has not yet headlined a national campaign.

That brings us to a bigger question: Celebrity endorsements have long been the go-to for major brands, and a favored marketing tool. This begs the question: Can Saiyaara’s box-office triumph catalyze endorsement deals for its leading pair?

Will Aneet Padda and Ahaan Panday stand a chance?

As per Rutu Mody Kamdar, founder, Jigsaw Brand Consultants, Saiyaara has done what a few films could manage to do - create cultural sickness. She said, “The movie and its actors have entered public consciousness. And, as people, one feels something for and that emotional equity is gold for brands trying to cut through the clutter.”

Harish Bijoor, branding expert, concurred with Kamdar.

He explained, “A box office success is always a route for big stars of success to hit the brand endorsement gravy train. This is quite so today, as compared to the days of yore when actors such as Smita Patil, Farooq Shaikh etc were considered offbeat cinema stars - great for the niches and not great for the masses.”

However, Kamdar also had a conflicting opinion where she reasoned out that the success of the film would not really translate into actors landing big brand endorsement deals. Brands may want to wait and watch if the actors can sustain their momentum.

Read More: How social media became the centrepiece of film marketing in India

She explained, “If the actors are too strongly identified with a specific role or genre, it can limit their flexibility as brand ambassadors. A cult or offbeat film persona might not align with more mass-market or traditional brand imagery.”

Angel investor and independent director Lloyd Mathias is optimistic of the lead actors landing top brand endorsement deals. He explained, “After a long time, Bollywood has seen a fresh-faced couple hit it off so well in their debut film. I think this is going to work brilliantly for the two actors and they're going to become huge hot brand properties starting now.”

In the world of brand endorsements, there is an eminent degree of clutter followed by boredom, with big stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Hrithik Roshan being the most preferred amongst well-known brands such as Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Hyundai, Kalyan Jewellers, Rado, Burger King, Thums Up etc.

Bijoor explained, “You see a star advertising for a fan, and the same star is seen for a car and for lingerie. Now, the question is, ‘Will the real brand stand up?’ ‘Will the real star stand up?’ Therefore, in such a clutter, new stars could be an option, a good option, a great option, a differentiated option.”

Mathias added to Bijoor’s point of view, “I think each brand has its own style. I think what's happening right now is that there's a little bit of fatigue with traditional celebrities. India has a very short list of well-known celebrities. There are about 10 to 12 top-class movie stars and then there are about 8 to 10 top sportsmen. Therefore, one tends to see the same faces repeatedly.”

Read More: From popcorn to petitions: Are pre-movie ads turning viewers into involuntary revenue streams?

According to Mathias, the whole concept of getting newer faces is positive as it is also aided by the fact that today a lot of influencers are becoming the face of the brand. He added, “These are not mega influencers, but nano and micro influencers. I think it's playing in that trend and therefore, this is going to kind of work doubly well for the new stars.”

As per Mathias, if the association between the celebrity and the brand is long term, they take the shape of a mascot. For example, (American actor) George Clooney and Nespresso, (former basketball player) Michael Jordan and Nike, (former tennis player) Roger Federer and Rolex, whose association spans more than a decade, are memorable.

Between January - June 2024, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar was the most visible star, with an average visibility of 22 hours per day across all channels, followed by Shah Rukh with 20 hours per day through TV sponsorships, according to a TAM report.

Mathias added that if the brands sign on someone for a short term, it is not the best solution and doesn't work very well.

Endorsements criteria by brands

As per Kamdar, in the past, star power and sheer mass visibility were enough — being a box office draw guaranteed brand deals. Today, the lens is more layered.

She stated, “Today, the thought process is - Are they part of the current conversation? Do they represent a worldview that audiences aspire to? What do they post? How do they engage? Do they have a distinct voice or are they just another face? Can they convincingly inhabit the tone and values of the brand?”

Kamdar explained that Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt is one of the sharpest celebrity brand assets and is equally convincing as the face of brands such as Frooti, Manyavar, MakeMyTrip, or Mamaearth. “She brings both mass appeal and modern femininity,” she highlighted.

Another well-known celebrity is former Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli, who embodies consistency, discipline, and youth icon status that give him relevance across fitness, fintech, fashion, and more.

But unlike earlier generations, today's celebrities build personal brands — Deepika Padukone owns mental health NGO The Live, Love, Laugh Foundation; Katrina Kaif owns makeup brand Kay Beauty, and Priyanka Chopra owns haircare brand Anomaly, Kamdar explained.

“If managed well, Saiyaara could be their defining launchpad moment, the way Wake Up Sid was for Ranbir Kapoor or Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was for Aamir Khan: the film becomes shorthand for their persona, and brands tap into that shorthand,” added Kamdar.

Mathias is of the opinion that the lead actors be selective and ensure that they get to endorse quality brands—which are not controversial like surrogate ads or gambling ads that would come their way—where their newly created personalities get enough exposure.

Bijoor’s advice to the film’s lead pair is to sign us as a duo, as this would lead to bigger brand endorsement rates. Following this, they mustn’t take up endorsement projects, which is against the grain of Saiyaara, as it has developed an emotion amongst the audience.

“Every movie has a lead time of up to eight months when its entire theme, tone, tenor and decibel captivates the market. And, when one has those eight months as a window, they need to be used well. Hence, one must be careful of what they participate in. Don't do everything. Do some things great and do some great things great,” Bijoor concluded.

Read More: Shantanu Deshpande slams ‘Saiyaara’ hype; says ‘falling in love with a brand or movie feels impossible now’