Ananya Panday recently experienced what she describes as the "biggest moment" of her acting career when Amitabh Bachchan lauded her performance in "Kesari Chapter 2". The veteran actor praised Panday on the set of "Kaun Banega Crorepati 17," where she appeared alongside Kartik Aaryan to promote their upcoming film, "Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri".

Bachchan specifically acknowledged Panday's ability to hold her own alongside a cast of seasoned actors in "Kesari Chapter 2". He noted that despite her limited dialogue, she conveyed a powerful message through her expressions and eyes. Bachchan emphasized the importance of actors making each performance feel new and authentic, even when they have known their roles for months. He stated that Panday demonstrated this quality, making her performance particularly impactful.

"Aur inke liye bhi humne kaha tha, inki ek film he, Kesari (Chapter 2). Jisme inhone kaam kiya tha humne kaha ki bohot bade bade kalakaar he usme aur sabne bohot achcha kaam kiya. Lekin itne bade kalakaro ke saath rehkar bhi Ananya aapne bohot khubi se apna role nibhaya (For her, I will say about Kesari Chapter 2. There were big names in that film and they were all good. Yet Ananya stood out and managed to pull off that role so well)," Bachchan said. He further added, "Jyada bolna nahi tha inko. Jis tarah se unki nazar gayi, unki look gayi... Wahi par kalaakar ki khoobi pata chalti he. Woh feeling maine aap mein dekhi (She did not have much to say, but the way she communicated with her eyes were enough... That's where an actor will turn legendary. I felt that when I watched you)".

Panday, visibly moved by Bachchan's words, shared a clip of the moment on her Instagram account, captioning it, "The biggest moment of any actors life. I will cherish your words forever Amit Ji".

In "Kesari Chapter 2," Panday played the character Dilreet Gill, a figure connected to the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919. The film also stars Akshay Kumar as Advocate C. Sankaran Nair and R Madhavan as Advocate Neville McKinley.

During her appearance on "Kaun Banega Crorepati 17", Panday also introduced Bachchan to Gen Z slang, calling him a "drip," which means someone stylish and cool. Bachchan playfully responded with the traditional meaning of the word, saying, "Drip to me means water falling from the ceiling," which led to laughter.

"Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri," the film Panday and Aaryan were promoting, is scheduled to release on December 25, 2025.