Reflecting on her earliest spark, Aneet shares, “As a kid, I was this oblivious child, always daydreaming. I would memorise the poem and deliver it very blandly, and my mom kept saying, ‘You just have to understand what it means. Stop overthinking and say it the way you feel it.’” That simple lesson to feel before performing became the foundation of her craft. Winning her first competition, she remembers thinking, “Wow, that feels kind of nice. I wouldn’t mind another one.”
Looking back at her childhood in Amritsar, watching films and then recreating scenes alone in her room, she recounts, “I was always chasing a feeling. I believe actors are full of creativity, emotion, and energy, so they just need an outlet for that. Slowly, this became mine.” By 14, she was convinced she wanted to act, though her parents remained uncertain.
She shares, “They had questions, ‘Who’s going to take you to Mumbai for auditions? We don’t know anyone.’ So, I focused on academics for a while. I even convinced myself I should become a doctor or a lawyer.” But at 17, she reached a breaking point. Aneet adds, “It was killing me to resist what I felt I was meant for.”
Without telling anyone, she quietly researched casting websites and cold-emailed 70 production houses, even landing a TVC. As her auditions grew alongside her academic commitments, she tried to balance passion with practicality. She recounts, “I wanted to be smart. I wanted to give my soul, but we also live in a society that keeps telling you to have options.” Her breakthrough came with Saiyaara, the film that changed the trajectory of her career.
It placed her in the public eye in a way she had never experienced. But what grounds her is gratitude for the work itself. “More than anything, it’s the privilege of waking up every day and doing what I love. That’s what keeps me grounded,” expresses Aneet.
With overnight success also comes recognition, scrutiny, and noise. But Aneet has learned to tune most of it out. For her, family remains her anchor. She notes, “For me, the only opinions that matter are of my mom, dad, sister, family, and friends… people who care that if I’m being kind and sincere.” At the same time, she acknowledges the weight of visibility, adding, “There is a public archive of my life now. People will witness my ups, downs, and everything in between. You’ll get to see a human be human.”
Speaking about the pressure of public expectations, she says, “I’m not going to alter my choices because of what people think. That would be abandoning myself. I remind myself that the world can judge you, but don’t you dare judge yourself. And don’t be ashamed for being who you are.” As she continues to navigate fame, she remains deliberate about who she is becoming. “I am conscious about the character I’m building as a human being by making someone smile, being kind, and mindful. These things matter.”
Opening up about being true to herself, she states, “I definitely grew into myself, but I never knew how not to be honest. Of course, we all wear masks sometimes, but it’s easiest for me to just be.” Talking about the emotional weight of admiration and the intensity of fan love, she adds softly, “I’m very sensitive. I feel things deeply. So, the responsibility of love, that weight of wanting to do right by the people who support you… it can be a lot. I cry once a week looking at the edits my fans make.”
Remembering her much-talked-about Lakme Fashion Week moment with Tarun Tahiliani, she calls it both terrifying and transformative. She highlights, “I was so nervous. I expect myself to be a superhuman sometimes. But I was proud that even though it was uncharted territory, I showed up, stayed calm and did it. To be terrified and still walk, I’m happy I did that for myself.” Outside the spotlight, she finds a quieter home in music, a part of her life she protects fiercely. She sets the record straight, “I don’t want to monetise that part of my life. Music is my escape. Maybe one day, I’ll share something I made just to put it out in the world, but not as a career.”
With Shakti Shalini from the Maddock horror comedy universe set for December 2026, Aneet's journey is only beginning. This November, Grazia India celebrates her journey, tender, unfiltered, and grounded in emotional honesty as she continues to grow into herself with grace and fearless authenticity.
