Ahaan Panday’s mom, Deanne, reveals ‘Saiyaara’ star was born ‘small like a rat’

Ahaan Panday, now 27, has made an extraordinary entry into Bollywood with his recent role in Saiyaara, directed by Mohit Suri. The actor, son of Chikki Panday and wellness expert Deanne Panday, has gained rapid popularity, especially after being relatively low-profile on social media in recent years. Previously, he was often seen in sister Alanna Panday’s YouTube vlogs, which offered glimpses into their family life. One particular vlog revealed an emotional and dramatic story about Ahaan’s premature birth, shared by his mother, Deanne.

According to Deanne, Ahaan arrived much earlier than expected—around six weeks before her due date. She remembered noticing slight leakage from her water bag, which prompted concern. When the situation repeated, the family grew alarmed. Her mother-in-law immediately contacted their doctor, who advised that Deanne be rushed to the hospital without delay. Once there, doctors performed a sonography and were shocked to find that the amniotic fluid had completely drained. The baby, curled up in a tight corner inside the womb, needed to be delivered at once through an emergency cesarean section.

Ahaan was born extremely small—fragile, almost like a little rodent, Deanne described. "They did a sonography; all the water had come out by then, and Ahaan was in one corner, curled up. They took me to an emergency C-section, and when they got Ahaan out, he was as small as a rat," he wrote.


Right after delivery, he was taken away for urgent medical attention, while Deanne, exhausted and sedated, fainted. When she regained consciousness, her first question was about her baby. The medical team informed her that the newborn had been transported to a better-equipped facility that had a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Despite just having undergone surgery, Deanne was insistent on being taken to her son.

Adding a unique detail to the story, Alanna chimed in during the vlog, revealing that baby Ahaan was transported in a thermocol cooler box—a makeshift incubator of sorts used over two decades ago. Since the birth hospital lacked NICU services, the grandparents had no choice but to carry the premature infant in this manner to Nanavati Hospital for specialized care.

Deanne mentioned being heavily medicated at the time, but once she reached Nanavati, her focus shifted entirely to her son. Upon seeing Ahaan, she noticed a stick had been affixed to his tiny leg. Doctors had discovered a hairline fracture on his slender limb, possibly from birth trauma. His body was so delicate that his thighs appeared thinner than a finger.

From a distance, Deanne once saw a nurse trying to feed Ahaan with a dropper. Alarmed, she quickly intervened and took over. Despite her own physical condition, she made it a point to personally feed him every time. For ten days, while Ahaan remained under observation in the NICU, Deanne stayed in the hospital recovering, visiting him in a wheelchair each time he needed nourishment.

Eventually, after a harrowing and emotional start to life, Ahaan was finally healthy enough to go home with his parents—marking the beginning of a life that would later blossom into a successful film career.

Saiyaara, which was released last week, has been going from strength to strength at the box office. As per a report by the box-office tracking portal Sacnilk, the Mohit Suri directorial has earned a whopping Rs 153 crore within six days of release.