Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda's dress style in Saiyaara came from what students in two Mumbai colleges wore. Which were they?

Mohit Suri's directorial venture Saiyaara has taken the world by storm, and there’s no sign of it slowing down. The film, led by debutants Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, has been ruling the box office ever since the romantic drama hit screens on July 18. Now, it has crossed the Rs 300-crore mark. In the film, it’s not just the story and music that have struck a chord with audiences, but also the grounded, authentic styling that reflects what real young people wear today. Recently, Saiyaara’s stylist revealed the inspiration behind the looks, citing two Mumbai colleges as prime examples.

Mumbai colleges served as the moodboard for Saiyaara's styling

Unlike the typical glammed-up aesthetic of most debut films, Saiyaara chose a new approach, one that features real college life. The credit for this goes to costume designer Sheetal Iqbal Sharma, who is known for his work in Gangubai Kathiawadi, Animal, Pushpa 2, and Chhaava. For Saiyaara, he didn’t head to international fashion hubs or luxury brand showrooms. Instead, he turned to the streets and campuses of Mumbai.


To capture how young people actually dress, Sharma and his team visited two prominent colleges in Mumbai, KC College and H.R. College of Commerce and Economics in Churchgate. These institutions, known not just for academics but also for their student culture. These two became Sharma’s inspiration boards. "We observed a lot of mix-and-match outfits,” Sharma said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India. “Cargo pants with kurtis, knee-length denims with Indian sleeveless tops, and even track pants as daily wear. Gen Z is all about comfort, identity, and making statements without trying too hard.”

Interestingly, Sharma himself is an alumnus of KC College, and his nostalgic return there helped him spot how fashion sensibilities have evolved. "In our time, girls tried to dress like Preity Zinta from Lakshya, boho was in. Today, it’s a mash-up of streetwear, ethnic, and personal flair. It’s real."

This direction resonated with director Mohit Suri as well, who insisted the film not fall into the overly stylised trap. In fact, Sharma initially pitched more urban, “upper middle-class Khar-Bandra girl” looks, tank tops, shrugs, and even coloured hair, but Suri pushed back. “He couldn’t relate to the character in those clothes. We ended up doing over 25 trials before finding what felt genuine," Sharma recalled.

The final look embraced natural textures and minimalism. Aneet Padda’s Vaani, for instance, was styled with her real curls, gently falling over her face, and subtle makeup. Her outfits, jeans, kurtis, tunics, portrayed a young woman’s evolving confidence rather than just fashion trends. Even her footwear, basic white PT shoes, spoke volumes about the character’s comfort and groundedness.

And clearly, the audience is loving it. With a storyline that tugs at the heartstrings, performances that stay with you, and a wardrobe that mirrors real life.

About Saiyaara

Talking about Saiyaara, the film revolves around the life of Krish Kapoor, a young musician who falls in love with Vaani Batra, a journalist who has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The film also features actors Geeta Agarwal, Rajesh Kumar, and Varun Badola in key roles.