Read on to find out more about the Ananya Panday journey.
At just 20, Ananya Panday is earning cred for her authenticity and her innate strength to carve her own career path.
Photographs: ERRIKOS ANDREOU/ DEU CREATIVE MANAGEMENT; Fashion Director: PASHAM ALWANI
Photographs: ERRIKOS ANDREOU/ DEU CREATIVE MANAGEMENT; Fashion Director: PASHAM ALWANI
Like most girls her age, Ananya Panday considers her bedroom to be her sanctuary. It’s where she disappears with her thoughts; where she writes, thinks and hides from the world. It hasn’t gone through too many decor changes over the years, but it’s probably an accurate manifestation of all that’s going on in her mind. She doesn’t spend too much time in there now, considering she lives out of a suitcase, and a vanity van. For the Student of the Year 2 star, life has come full circle. “Films have always been my escape. And no, it wasn’t because my dad (Chunky Panday) is a Bollywood star. My face lit up when a movie came on at home. I was really tiny when Hrithik Roshan burst onto the screen in Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai. I fangirled just a little too hard. Hrithik, and a host of other Dharma films, gave me the kick-start I needed to put my plan of becoming an actor in action,” says the 20-year-old in the tone of a straight-A student faced with a pop quiz.
Panday’s appeal lies in her unique mix of talent and a strong self-belief – a result, perhaps, of a childhood that trained her to walk her own path. She’ll need to tap into these strengths to help her navigate a meteoric rise. “I remember my parents asking me to meet Karan Johar sir to figure out what I wanted to do. He told me about Student of the Year 2 and asked me to audition for it. I was over the moon when I landed the part,” she says.
“IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO GAIN PEOPLE’S TRUST. BUT, I KNOW WHAT I’M GOOD AT AND WHAT I WANT.”
ON HER ‘RIVALRY’ WITH TARA SUTARIA...
ON PARENTAL SUPPORT...
ON THE INEVITABLE COMPARISONS...
ON MAKING A CHANGE...
“THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THINGS I HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT I DON’T AT ALL ANYMORE AND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS I NEVER USED TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT I DO NOW.”
“KARAN (JOHAR) SIR TOLD ME ABOUT STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2, AND ASKED ME TO AUDITION FOR IT. I WAS OVER THE MOON WHEN I LANDED THE PART.”
ON FIGHTING BULLIES...
While Panday is at the forefront of a generation fighting for its own voice, she’s also an easy target in the age of social media. Earlier this year, questions about the star’s educational qualifications surfaced. It was in the face of this controversy that Panday’s self-assuredness became evident. Not only did she dispute the claim, but posted a photo of her university letters on Instagram and revealed that she had successfully applied for a course, but postponed her admission twice as she was shooting for her debut film. “I think I’ve developed a very thick skin. So, when this happened, I remember being fairly honest because I knew what was true. I realized that people today are quick to believe anything without validating the facts. Also, people give out so much wrong information without even being responsible for it. When something like this happens, you tend to feel very alone. You want people around you to believe you, and even if one person does, you feel fine,” she says, adding: “The incident didn’t only affect me, it affected my mom, too. She asked me, “Why are they doing this?”, because she knew that I worked really hard,” says an evidently emotional Panday, elaborating that she stood up for herself because she wanted to encourage other young girls her age to stand up for themselves.
As her star keeps rising, Panday wants to keep pushing for change. She recently launched a special initiative, ‘So Positive’, against social media bullying. “I really want to take advantage of the platform I’ve been given. I believe all of us in the spotlight should be more vocal about issues that need to be highlighted. I still think I can do more. I wish I could snap my fingers and make a lot of things better in the world. I suddenly have the opportunity to do something worthwhile, and I can maybe make a difference,” she says, adding that she’s had her first school discussion, and has even visited colleges to speak to young girls about social media bullying. “These are the baby steps I want to take. I want to build a strong community and raise awareness”.
"I BELIEVE ALL OF US IN THE SPOTLIGHT SHOULD BE MORE VOCAL ABOUT ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE HIGHLIGHTED. I STILL THINK I CAN DO MORE."
ON STAYING FOCUSED...
For a young actor starting out, time is of the essence. It’s almost as if you grow up overnight not knowing when you swapped a carefree life for a jet-setting one. The irony, of course, is that this interview is still working; another day that takes away her time to disconnect, to not be “on,” to just be 20-year-old zoning out in her apartment. “I’ve been swamped shooting for the remake of the 1978 classic Pati, Patni Aur Woh in Lucknow with Kartik Aaryan and Bhumi Pednekar. The two characters Bhumi and I play are feisty. They don’t give in easily. It’s so refreshing to play such a strong role,” she says.
And while her career is of prime importance, Panday doesn’t believe in skimping on her social life. She’s always going to keep it 100 per cent real. “With fame comes the paps. I get it. But, it doesn’t phase me. I’m just 20, I am going to make mistakes. Instead of people supporting me, I want them to learn and grow with me. I don’t want to set unrealistic expectations for myself. I believe that it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s also okay to step out in pyjamas,” she quips.
“I DON’T WANT TO SET UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FOR MYSELF... IT’S OKAY TO MAKE MISTAKES.”
Hair and make-up: Pompy Hans; Production: P Productions; Fashion assistant: Garvika Khanna; Fashion intern: Simran Jagdale
Panday’s appeal lies in her unique mix of talent and a strong self-belief – a result, perhaps, of a childhood that trained her to walk her own path. She’ll need to tap into these strengths to help her navigate a meteoric rise. “I remember my parents asking me to meet Karan Johar sir to figure out what I wanted to do. He told me about Student of the Year 2 and asked me to audition for it. I was over the moon when I landed the part,” she says.
Sequinned dress, Blumarine; gold plated ring, Masaba x Tribe Amrapali; block heels, Truffle Collection
“IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO GAIN PEOPLE’S TRUST. BUT, I KNOW WHAT I’M GOOD AT AND WHAT I WANT.”
ON HER ‘RIVALRY’ WITH TARA SUTARIA...
ON PARENTAL SUPPORT...
ON THE INEVITABLE COMPARISONS...
ON MAKING A CHANGE...
ON HER ‘RIVALRY’ WITH TARA SUTARIA...
Panday was not the only actor to make her Bollywood debut with the film. The other star, Tara Sutaria, also shared screen space. “Before we started filming, Tara and I were kept in separate rooms during rehearsals on purpose. The crew would fill our ears with supposed rumors, trying to create animosity between us because we were playing rivals on screen. It didn’t work though. Once filming began, we got along like a house of fire. We ate and hung out together. We also cracked each other up. It was only natural that we would connect because we were both new to this world. Tiger Shroff had already come in with a lot of experience,” she says.ON PARENTAL SUPPORT...
Navigating her way through the tricky waters of stardom hasn’t been easy, but she counts it as a blessing to have a supportive family in her corner. “Mum and dad go through the scripts I get. They do give me advice, but they want me to have the final say on my career,” she says. Over the intervening years before her Bollywood debut, Panday believes that she has matured. She’s more confident – bolder – and knows her power. “There were a number of things I had to deal with that I don’t at all anymore and there are so many things I never used to have to deal with that I do now. It’s a weird balance. I’m a lot more protective of everything,” she adds.Knotted bikini, Adriana Degreas; floral embroidered jacket, Rahul Mishra; leather shorts, HermeÌÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂs; hoop earrings, Accessorize; set of gold plated rings, Misho; patent pumps, Christian Louboutin
“THERE WERE A NUMBER OF THINGS I HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT I DON’T AT ALL ANYMORE AND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS I NEVER USED TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT I DO NOW.”
ON THE INEVITABLE COMPARISONS...
After a massively successful first installment, it was only natural that Student of the Year 2 would be compared to its predecessor. After all, it has spawned three superstars – Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra. “The first film set the bar pretty high. But, there was no pressure to live up to, in my opinion. It was a new film with a new plot. I must say though, seeing Alia dance with Tiger in the Hook Up Song made me a tad jealous. She breezed through that song looking like a million bucks,” says Panday. And now, the actor is trying to convince the industry that she knows what she’s doing. “It will take some time to gain people’s trust. But, I know what I’m going to do, what I’m good at and what I want,” she says.Knotted bikini, Adriana Degreas; floral embroidered jacket, Rahul Mishra; leather shorts, HermeÌÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂs; hoop earrings, Accessorize; set of gold plated rings, Misho; 'Ecstasy' Swarovsi crystal watch, Raga by Titan
“KARAN (JOHAR) SIR TOLD ME ABOUT STUDENT OF THE YEAR 2, AND ASKED ME TO AUDITION FOR IT. I WAS OVER THE MOON WHEN I LANDED THE PART.”
ON FIGHTING BULLIES...
While Panday is at the forefront of a generation fighting for its own voice, she’s also an easy target in the age of social media. Earlier this year, questions about the star’s educational qualifications surfaced. It was in the face of this controversy that Panday’s self-assuredness became evident. Not only did she dispute the claim, but posted a photo of her university letters on Instagram and revealed that she had successfully applied for a course, but postponed her admission twice as she was shooting for her debut film. “I think I’ve developed a very thick skin. So, when this happened, I remember being fairly honest because I knew what was true. I realized that people today are quick to believe anything without validating the facts. Also, people give out so much wrong information without even being responsible for it. When something like this happens, you tend to feel very alone. You want people around you to believe you, and even if one person does, you feel fine,” she says, adding: “The incident didn’t only affect me, it affected my mom, too. She asked me, “Why are they doing this?”, because she knew that I worked really hard,” says an evidently emotional Panday, elaborating that she stood up for herself because she wanted to encourage other young girls her age to stand up for themselves.
ON MAKING A CHANGE...
As her star keeps rising, Panday wants to keep pushing for change. She recently launched a special initiative, ‘So Positive’, against social media bullying. “I really want to take advantage of the platform I’ve been given. I believe all of us in the spotlight should be more vocal about issues that need to be highlighted. I still think I can do more. I wish I could snap my fingers and make a lot of things better in the world. I suddenly have the opportunity to do something worthwhile, and I can maybe make a difference,” she says, adding that she’s had her first school discussion, and has even visited colleges to speak to young girls about social media bullying. “These are the baby steps I want to take. I want to build a strong community and raise awareness”.
One-shoulder dress, Halpern at Le Mill; hoop earrings, Outhouse; ring, Sapna Mehta at Le Mill
"I BELIEVE ALL OF US IN THE SPOTLIGHT SHOULD BE MORE VOCAL ABOUT ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE HIGHLIGHTED. I STILL THINK I CAN DO MORE."
ON STAYING FOCUSED...
For a young actor starting out, time is of the essence. It’s almost as if you grow up overnight not knowing when you swapped a carefree life for a jet-setting one. The irony, of course, is that this interview is still working; another day that takes away her time to disconnect, to not be “on,” to just be 20-year-old zoning out in her apartment. “I’ve been swamped shooting for the remake of the 1978 classic Pati, Patni Aur Woh in Lucknow with Kartik Aaryan and Bhumi Pednekar. The two characters Bhumi and I play are feisty. They don’t give in easily. It’s so refreshing to play such a strong role,” she says.
And while her career is of prime importance, Panday doesn’t believe in skimping on her social life. She’s always going to keep it 100 per cent real. “With fame comes the paps. I get it. But, it doesn’t phase me. I’m just 20, I am going to make mistakes. Instead of people supporting me, I want them to learn and grow with me. I don’t want to set unrealistic expectations for myself. I believe that it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s also okay to step out in pyjamas,” she quips.
Shirt, bustier, both Dior; earrings, Lune; 'Enigma' Swarovski crystal watch, Raga by Titan
“I DON’T WANT TO SET UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FOR MYSELF... IT’S OKAY TO MAKE MISTAKES.”
Hair and make-up: Pompy Hans; Production: P Productions; Fashion assistant: Garvika Khanna; Fashion intern: Simran Jagdale
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