Who Are the Rising Stars of Indian Cinema in 2025? IMDb Reveals Top Actors and Directors!
Mumbai's New Stars Shine Bright
Mumbai: On Wednesday, IMDb unveiled its list of the most popular Indian actors and directors for 2025, with stars from the film Saiyaara, Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda, leading the rankings based on page views from over 250 million monthly users.
Ahaan Panday claimed the top spot among actors, followed closely by his co-star Aneet Padda. Meanwhile, Mohit Suri, the director of Saiyaara, topped the inaugural list of Most Popular Indian Directors, as stated in a press release.
Expressing his gratitude, Panday shared that this recognition for his debut film feels surreal. He described it as a 'dream come true' and a moment of reflection, emphasizing the responsibility that comes with such acknowledgment.
He expressed his appreciation for Suri's mentorship and thanked producers Aditya Chopra and Akshaye Widhani, along with casting director Shanoo Sharma, for their unwavering support.
Panday stated, 'I am eager to return with my second film, and this honor motivates me to deliver a performance that resonates with audiences. I am grateful to everyone who supported me in Saiyaara. This recognition allows me to cherish my journey, and I thank everyone for enabling the grandson of a heart surgeon to share love through my work.'
Aneet Padda, who is set to star in Maddock Films' upcoming project Shakti Shalini, remarked that the success of Saiyaara has been transformative and expressed her gratitude to viewers from various backgrounds.
'Saiyaara has changed my life in ways I am just beginning to comprehend. Knowing that my work resonated with people across different languages is incredibly meaningful to me,' she said.
Padda added, 'This recognition from IMDb feels like a gentle nudge toward my aspirations: to cultivate clarity, curiosity, and craft. I am embracing this moment as I prepare for my next film. Thank you for the love; it fuels my passion.'
In the actor rankings, Aamir Khan, who made a comeback with Sitaare Zameen Par, secured the third position, followed by Ishaan Khatter from Homebound at fourth.
Lakshya ranked fifth, while Rashmika Mandanna, at sixth, gained recognition for her diverse roles in Hindi films like Chhaava, Sikandar, and Thamma, along with her bilingual Telugu-Tamil projects Kuberaa and The Girlfriend.
The top ten also included Kalyani Priyadarshan (No. 7), Triptii Dimri (No. 8), Rukmini Vasanth (No. 9), and Rishab Shetty (No. 10).
Among directors, Aryan Khan took the second position with his debut series The Ba**ds of Bollywood, followed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, Anurag Kashyap, and Prithviraj Sukumaran. R.S. Prasanna, Anurag Basu, and Dominic Arun filled the middle ranks.
Laxman Utekar and Neeraj Ghaywan, whose film Homebound is India's official entry for the 2026 Academy Awards, completed the top ten directors list.
Yaminie Patodia, head of IMDb India, noted that the introduction of the directors' list signifies a change in audience engagement.
'In our 25 Years of Indian Cinema IMDb Industry Report, we highlighted how directors are becoming pivotal figures in this new era of Indian cinema. They now frequently appear in our weekly rankings alongside actors, indicating that directors are gaining popularity as fan favorites, with storytelling and world-building driving this new wave of fandom,' Patodia explained.