Saiyaara Soars as IMDb’s Star List Aligns with Ahaan and Aneet on Top

MUMBAI: The stars didn’t just align this year, they practically formed a constellation named Saiyaara. IMDb, the world’s most-visited film and celebrity database with 250 million monthly users, has unveiled its Most Popular Indian Stars and Directors of 2025, and the rankings read like a love letter to Bollywood’s newest breakout pair, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda.

The fresh-faced leads of Mohit Suri’s romantic drama Saiyaara have claimed the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, outshining industry veterans and cementing their arrival in the mainstream. Their director, Mohit Suri, has simultaneously topped IMDb’s first-ever Most Popular Indian Directors list, a move the platform says reflects a pivotal shift in fandom culture.

IMDb India head Yaminie Patodia framed the moment as a sign of changing cinematic tides. “In our 25 Years of Indian Cinema IMDb Report, we noted how directors have become the architects of modern fandom,” she said. “Their names now trend alongside actors, signalling a new creative centre of gravity.”

That shift is evident in this year’s Top 10 Directors, where Aryan Khan enters at No. 2 after his buzzy debut series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, making him the youngest filmmaker on the list and the only one representing streaming.

Ahaan Panday, basking in a debut that has turned into a cultural moment, shared an effusive note of gratitude. Calling his top ranking a “full-circle Paulo Coelho moment,” he credited Suri’s mentorship, Aditya Chopra’s faith, Shanoo Sharma’s guidance, and producer Akshaye Widhani’s support. “Being No. 1 with my first film feels surreal,” he said. “This honour is a responsibility and motivation to return with a performance that resonates even deeper.”

Aneet Padda echoed the sentiment, describing the recognition as “a little unreal.” “Saiyaara changed my life,” she said. “Knowing that people across languages connected with Vaani means everything. Suri’s belief gave me courage, and this honour feels like a gentle push toward the actor I hope to evolve into.”

IMDb Top 10 Most Popular Indian Stars of 2025

1. Ahaan Panday

2. Aneet Padda

3. Aamir Khan

4. Ishaan Khatter

5. Lakshya

6. Rashmika Mandanna

7. Kalyani Priyadarshan

8. Triptii Dimri

9. Rukmini Vasanth

10. Rishab Shetty

Notably, Ishaan Khatter and Triptii Dimri are the only two names to repeat from last year’s rankings, while Rashmika Mandanna (No. 6) climbed in on the back of an impressively diverse 2025 slate spanning Hindi and Telugu cinema.

IMDb Top 10 Most Popular Indian Directors of 2025

1.Mohit Suri

2. Aryan Khan

3. Lokesh Kanagaraj

4. Anurag Kashyap

5. Prithviraj Sukumaran

6. R.S. Prasanna

7. Anurag Basu

8. Dominic Arun

9. Laxman Utekar

10. Neeraj Ghaywan

Among them, Neeraj Ghaywan stands out with Homebound, India’s official submission to the 2026 Academy Awards.

From OTT disruptors to franchise filmmakers, the top 10 reflects an ecosystem where theatrical hits, streaming breakthroughs, and multi-genre experimentation coexist. It is also a rare year where debutants have outshone veterans, signalling a generational shift driven by curiosity, fresh narratives and global viewership patterns.

With Saiyaara leading the cultural conversation and IMDb’s metrics offering a real-time pulse of worldwide audience engagement, 2025 appears to be the year where new talent didn’t just emerge, it took centre stage.

And if these rankings are any indication, the stars of tomorrow have already arrived.