Ananya Panday on competition with contemporaries

By: Mohnish Singh

Ananya Panday, daughter of Chunky Panday and Bhavana, made her silver screen debut with Dharma Productions’ college-caper Student of the Year 2 in 2019. The Puneet Malhotra directorial may not have set the cash registers jingling at the box-office, but it did set the ball rolling for the young actress.

The newcomer has already done three films and two more are at various stages of development. With the kind of choices that she is making as an actress, nothing can stop her from being at the top one day.

But does Ananya Panday believe in competition? “I believe in healthy competition. It can be really fun and motivating. Having said that, I really get happy when other people of my age are doing something good. I was really excited to watch Coolie No 1 (2020), and kept telling Sara she is so fabulous in all songs. We jam to each other’s music. I am happy when I see everyone do well. I am also motivated. It helps me set the benchmark higher,” she says.

Last seen in Khaali Peeli (2020) opposite Ishaan Khatter, Panday has two big-ticket films on her platter right now – Liger opposite Vijay Deverakonda and the next directorial of Shakun Batra, co-starring Deepika Padukone, and Siddhant Chaturvedi. Both films are being bankrolled by Dharma Productions, one of the leading production houses in India.

Receiving fame and success at an age of 22 can be a heady experience. How does Ananya Panday keep herself grounded? “My family and friends keep me grounded. I still have the same friends I had when I was four years old. I was in the same school with the same batch mates for twelve years. Nothing in my personal life has changed at all. Once I am done shooting, I am at home, a normal girl who fights with her sister, and her parents don’t allow her things. Both my parents are extremely humble,” concludes the actor.