Saiyaara actress Aneet Padda is set to star in Maddock Horror Comedy Universe’s upcoming film Shakti Shalini, confirms a teaser that debuted at Thamma screenings in theatres on Tuesday.
The teaser, which has gone viral on social media, the words flash across the screen, “The protector. The destroyer. The mother of all. Aneet Padda in Shakti Shalini. Shakti unleashed Dec 24, 2026.”
Saiyaara fans couldn’t keep their calm. “Headlining a female-centric film in the early stages of your career, Aneet Padda is making waves! Wishing you all the best, baby girl. Can’t wait to see you unleash the Shakti on December 24, 2026,” one of them wrote on X.
“Aneet Padda officially enters her era. I'm getting goosebumps,” another X user shared.
According to reports, Aneet has replaced Kiara Advani in the film. Kiara, who was initially approached for Shakti Shalini, later stepped away from the role.
As the rumours spread, Maddock Films requested fans to wait for official announcements regarding the casting for the upcoming MHCU films Shakti Shalini and Maha Munjya.
Aneet made waves in the film industry earlier this year with her breakthrough role in Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara alongside Ahaan Panday.
The film revolves around struggling singer Krish Kapoor (Ahaan Panday), who crosses paths with struggling lyricist Vaani Batra (Aneet Padda). As they collaborate on a song, sparks fly and the duo fall in love. However, Vaani is soon diagnosed with early onset of Alzheimer’s disease, which threatens to disrupt their bond.
The romance musical drama has been making waves at the box office as well as music charts globally. A week after its premiere, it crossed the Rs 200-crore mark in India. The Mohit Suri directorial is the second Hindi film to cross the Rs 200-crore mark at the domestic box office in 2025, apart from Vicky Kaushal-starrer Chhaava.
Aneet also received the IMDb Breakout Star STARmeter Awards. In the Global 100 chart by IMDb, Aneet secured a rank of 64.