Aneet Padda, of 'Saiyaara' fame, has been officially confirmed as the protagonist in Maddock Films' highly-anticipated horror comedy, 'Shakti Shalini'. This announcement came as a huge surprise to her fans. Initially slated for release in 2025, the film will now hit theatres on December 24, 2026. Aneet will be replacing Kiara Advani, who was earlier selected to play the leading role.
The announcement video was included in the theatrical print of 'Thamma'. Moviegoers who watched 'Thamma' were the first to know about the casting and the revised timeline for 'Shakti Shalini'. The move to postpone the film aligns with holiday season schedules and aims to maximise audience viewership.
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Maddock Films has established 'Shakti Shalini' as part of its expansive Horror Comedy Universe, which includes successful films like 'Stree', 'Bhediya', 'Munjya', and other movies that have built a steady following over the years.
The official casting announcement was accompanied by the release of Padda’s character's first-look image, which is now circulating widely online. This visual spurred immediate speculation among fans, with many suggesting the actor had a secret cameo in the post-credits scene of the recently released movie Thamma, appearing as her new character, 'Shakti Shalini'. However, the studio has not yet issued an official confirmation regarding this rumoured appearance.
The promotional clip, which is rapidly gaining traction, features text that emphatically introduces the central character and the film: "The protector. The destroyer. The mother of all. Aneet Padda in Shakti Shalini. Shakti unleashed Dec 24, 2026.”
The news ignited immediate enthusiasm from Padda's followers. One fan enthusiastically posted on X (formerly Twitter), celebrating the actress for "headlining a female-centric film in the early stages of your career" and expressing excitement to see her "unleash the Shakti on December 24, 2026."
Headlining a female-centric film in the early stages of your career, Aneet Padda is making waves!🙌
— SAS🍉 (@sasbackup) October 21, 2025
Wishing you all the best, baby girl. Can’t wait to see you unleash the Shakti on December 24, 2026!!🥹#AneetPadda #ShaktiShalini pic.twitter.com/BqvrIgaLYu
“Aneet Padda officially enters her era. I'm getting goosebumps,” another X user wrote.
Aneet Padda officially enters her era.
— 𝙁𝘼𝙍𝙄𝙃𝘼 🌵 (@aneetfied) October 21, 2025
I'm getting goosebumps. 😭
The protector
The destroyer
The MOTHER OF ALL#AneetPadda in #ShaktiShalini pic.twitter.com/vr1mah23zW
Aneet Padda first gained significant industry recognition earlier this year with her acclaimed performance in Mohit Suri’s 'Saiyaara', where she starred opposite Ahaan Panday.
The musical romance centers on the relationship between two struggling artists: Krish Kapoor (Panday), a singer, and Vaani Batra (Padda), a lyricist. Their collaboration quickly blossoms into love, which is then severely tested when Vaani receives a diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.
The film has proven to be a major commercial and musical success worldwide. Just one week after its debut, the drama crossed the remarkable ₹200 crore mark at the domestic Indian box office, becoming the second Hindi film of 2025 to achieve this milestone, following only the Vicky Kaushal-led 'Chhaava'. Aneet’s rising profile was further confirmed when she received the IMDb Breakout Star STARmeter Award and secured the 64th rank on the IMDb Global 100 chart.
Image courtesy: Instagram
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