Top 11 breakout debutants of 2025: From Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda to Aryan Khan, Shazia Iqbal

2025 has been a wonderful year for rising actors and directors who have proven they are here for the long run. Here are the top 11 breakout debutants that made a mark in 2025.

Saiyaara stars Aneet Padda, Ahaan Panday, Dhadak 2 director, Shazia Iqbal, The Ba***ds of Bollywood director Aryan Khan

Bollywood has witnessed several actors and filmmakers debuting for years and proving their talent with only one opportunity. One such year has been 2025. We had a bunch of debutants in the acting and filmmaking sections who made a mark in the industry. These actors and filmmakers made several headlines for their career-defining performances. From Ahaan Panday, Aneet Padda, to Aryan Khan and Shazia Iqbal, take a look at the top 11 breakout debutants of 2025.

Top 11 breakout debutants of 2025

Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda for Saiyaara

The first names for the top 11 breakout debutants of 2025 have to be Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda. The two actors debuted with Mohit Suri's romantic musical drama, Saiyaara. The film has been discussed the most this year along with Aneet and Ahaan's on-screen chemistry that captured fans' hearts.

Their blockbuster movie has changed the trajectory of Indian cinema. As newcomers, Ahaan and Aneet's groundbreaking performance fulfilled the audience's desire for new talent. It made them overnight sensations, topping IMDb's popular stars list and generating huge buzz and social media engagement.

Zahan Kapoor for Black Warrant

Zahan Kapoor, the grandson of Shashi Kapoor, made his OTT debut with Vikramaditya Motwane's Black Warrant. With his extraordinary performance in the hugely popular Netflix web series Black Warrant, he won the hearts of the audience with his strategic navigation of the expectations that come with the legacy of the famous Kapoor family.

The series, released in January 2025, became the second most popular Indian series on IMDb's global list for the year. His performance as Sunil Gupta, a rookie jailer at Tihar Jail, received significant critical acclaim for his "restrained yet intense performance" and nuance, which drew favourable comparisons to his grandfather, Shashi Kapoor.

Also Read: Top 10 standout performances in Indian movies 2025: From Rashmika Mandanna, Basil Joseph Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa

Veer Pahariya for Sky Force

Veer Paharia's popularity in 2025 is largely due to his high-profile Bollywood debut in the hit film Sky Force. Veer starred alongside Akshay Kumar in the action-drama, which was a box office success and topped OTT streaming charts in early 2025. His performance as a young Indian Air Force officer was praised for his sincerity and screen presence, which provided a powerful launchpad for his career.

For the unversed, Veer Pahariya is the grandson of former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and his entry into Bollywood generated significant discussion due to his influential family lineage.

Sara Arjun for Dhurandhar

Sara Arjun's popularity in late 2025 was largely driven by her brilliant Bollywood debut as the lead female character in Aditya Dhar's action-thriller film Dhurandhar, in which she starred opposite Ranveer Singh. Dhurandhar is Sara Arjun's first major role as an adult actress in mainstream Bollywood, a big change from her established career as a highly acclaimed child artist in South Indian and Hindi cinema. The film is already a blockbuster, earning Rs. 180.25 crore in just 6 days.

Rasha Thadani for Azaad

Raveeda Tandon's daughter, Rasha Thadani, made a striking Bollywood debut with Azaad. Her remarkable dance performances and steady public persona as a star kid, accompanied by a strong personality, won people's hearts. Her dance number Uyi Amma from the movie Azaad, became an instant hit, with fans praising her expressions and charming moves.

Aaman Devgn for Azaad

Aaman Devgn, the nephew of Ajay Devgn, rose to fame with his much-awaited Bollywood debut in the period action drama film Azaad in 2025 alongside his uncle. The film starred him in a strong lead role as a stable boy opposite Rasha Thadani, who develops a deep bond with a horse named Azaad. Although the film itself received mixed critical reviews and bombed at the box office, Aaman's personal performance and screen presence were often praised as promising and one of the strongest aspects of the film.

Aryan Khan for The Ba***ds of Bollywood

Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan's popularity in 2025 is primarily driven by the massive success of his directorial and writing debut, the Netflix web series The Ba***ds of Bollywood. The show became IMDb's most popular Indian series of 2025 generating significant cultural discussion and media buzz. This satirical comedy, based on the power struggles and inner workings of the Hindi film industry, gained immense popularity among audiences and critics. Its success catapulted Aryan to second place on the IMDb list of the most popular Indian directors of 2025, a significant achievement for a debutant director.

Shazia Iqbal for Dhadak 2

Shazia Iqbal had previously made some short films, like Bebaak, that caught her attention, but Dhadak 2 is her first major mainstream theatrical release, a big step that put her on the map as a filmmaker. With Dhadak 2, Iqbal did not just make a romance story; she highlighted the issues of intercaste marriage. caste discrimination, and several social issues. Her idea to go beyond just a love story and engage with politics and real social biases has caught the attention of critics and audiences who appreciate purposeful cinema.

Also Read: Dhadak 2 Review: Triptii Dimri-Siddhant Chaturvedi's love story tackles casteism with sensitivity but lacks punch in its commentary

Karan Singh Tyagi for Kesari Chapter 2

Karan Singh Tyagi's popularity rose in 2025 due to his critically acclaimed debut film, Kesari Chapter 2, starring Akshay Kumar, Ananya Panday, and R. Madhavan. It resonated with audiences for its powerful portrayal of the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre through Sankaran Nair's courtroom battle. His background as a Harvard-educated lawyer provided authenticity, while his commitment to telling important, lesser-known Indian history with cinematic depth made him an important new voice in Indian cinema.

Tisca Chopra for Saali Mohabbat

Famous actress Tisca Chopra's popularity in late 2025 is largely driven by the recent release and critical buzz surrounding her feature-length directorial debut, Saali Mohabbat. This film, a psychological "who-dunnit" thriller, has generated significant discussion as she transitions from an acclaimed actress and writer to a full-fledged filmmaker. Saali Mohabbat was already shown at the 55th IFFI and Chicago South Asian Film Festival, and now the film is streaming on ZEE5 (OTTplay Premium).

FAQs

Q: Which is the most popular Indian movie and series of 2025, as per IMDb?

A: Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda's movie Saiyaara and Aryan Khan's The Ba***ds of Bollywood are the most popular Indian movies and series of 2025, as per IMDb.

Q. Who is the most popular Indian actor on IMDb?

A. Bollywood actor Ahaan Panday has been named as the most popular Indian actor on IMDb for the year 2025. He earned the top spot for his stellar performance in the Hindi romance drama Saiyaara, which was an instant hit among young audiences.

Q. Where to watch Saiyaara on OTT?

A. You can watch Saiyaara, starring young actors Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, on Netflix. Mohit Suri directs this 2025 musical drama, which is among the highest-grossers of the year.

Q. Has Kantara Chapter 1 been released on OTT?

A. Rishab Shetty's Kantara Chapter 1 was released on Amazon Prime Video in October 2025. OTTplay Premium subscribers can also watch the epic Kannada film, which also stars Rukmini Vasanth, by topping up their plan to include Prime Video.

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