Anurag Kashyap has lauded Ananya Panday's growth in the film industry, particularly noting a shift in her approach after a remark made by Siddhant Chaturvedi a few years ago regarding "struggle". Kashyap believes Panday took Chaturvedi's comment "personally," which led to a change in her and a willingness to take more risks in her career.
The comment in question occurred during a 2019 roundtable discussion. Ananya Panday spoke about the assumption that she gets everything easily because of her father, Chunky Panday, being a star. She mentioned that her father had never been in a Dharma film or on Koffee With Karan, implying that she also faced her own challenges. Siddhant Chaturvedi responded to this by saying, "Everyone has their own struggle. The only difference is jahan humare sapne poore hote hain, wahan inka struggle shuru hota hai (their struggle begins where our dreams are fulfilled)".
Kashyap, in a recent interview with The Juggernaut, reflected on this exchange and its impact on Panday. He stated, "I think she has figured it out. That one thing that happened long back in an interview when Siddhant Chaturvedi said that 'Our struggles begin when yours end,' I think she took it very personally. I think something happened, altered inside her, because something about her changed after that".
He further praised her subsequent film choices, including CTRL and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, noting that she seemed to have found herself or was on the path to doing so. Kashyap added, "Something flipped inside her and she found herself or she is on the path to find herself. Whatever it is, she is doing great stuff. She took a risk, she is taking risks and she is quite mature. She experiments and is not playing safe unlike others". He even called her one of his favorite "nepo kids," alongside Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Ayan Mukerji. In October 2024, Kashyap lauded Panday's performance in CTRL, calling it her "career-best".
Kashyap also addressed the broader issue of nepotism in Bollywood, suggesting that the real problem lies with parents who restrict their children's choices. He believes that parents often try to protect their children by making decisions for them, which ultimately hinders their growth and ability to experiment. "Kids actually are much smarter. More than the kids, I think the parents are not letting the kids be, or make their choices," Kashyap explained. He feels that parents should allow their children to navigate their careers and make their own decisions, even if it means taking risks.
Siddhant Chaturvedi, in September 2024, addressed being labelled as "arrogant" after his comment towards Ananya Panday. He clarified that his intention was not to be arrogant but to express confidence and stand up for himself in the industry. Chaturvedi also acknowledged the prevalence of PR-driven narratives in Bollywood, which can sometimes overshadow talent.
Ananya Panday is currently filming for her upcoming movie Tu Meri Main Tera alongside Kartik Aaryan, scheduled for release in 2026.
