Bollywood actor Ananya Panday has been facing criticism on social media over her Bharatanatyam fusion dance sequence in her recent release, Chand Mera Dil. However, the actor appears unaffected by the online backlash and recently shared a glimpse of her holiday in France with her sister, Rysa Panday.
Ananya Panday shares first post amid criticism
On Thursday, Ananya took to Instagram and posted a series of pictures from her vacation. In one of the photos, she was seen enjoying the sun while dining at a restaurant. Other pictures showed her trying different food items, including cheese and bread, while some captured scenic moments with her sister. In another image, the two sisters were seen twinning in matching boots while posing together.
Ananya added Lata Mangeshkar’s song, Hum Tere Pyaar Mein, in the background of the post and captioned it, “life is beautiful.” Reacting to the post, Rysa left a playful comment that read, “one hit wonder.”
The post comes at a time when Ananya has been receiving criticism for a dance sequence from Chand Mera Dil that has gone viral online. In the film, Ananya plays Chandni, the daughter of a Bharatanatyam dancer portrayed by. The controversial scene shows her character performing a fusion routine that combines Bharatanatyam with hip-hop and locking instead of presenting a traditional Bharatanatyam recital.
The sequence triggered mixed reactions on social media. While some viewers appreciated the experimental approach, several Bharatanatyam dancers and classical dance enthusiasts criticised the choreography and Ananya’s execution of the dance form. Many social media users felt the performance did not work in the way it was intended to. At the same time, the assistant choreographer associated with the sequence defended Ananya and said that she had “nailed it”.
Amid the backlash, Ananya’s father, also came out in support of his daughter. In an interview, he said that audiences had misunderstood the sequence and stressed that it was never intended to be pure Bharatanatyam. He added that the dance was designed as a fusion performance and requested people to watch the film and understand the context before judging it online.
About Chand Mera Dil
Directed by, Chand Mera Dil stars Ananya Panday and in lead roles and is backed by. The romantic drama follows the story of two college students, Aarav and Chandni, whose relationship changes when they are forced to deal with adult responsibilities at a young age.
The film opened to mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Its box-office performance has also remained underwhelming. So far, Chand Mera Dil has collected around ₹18.62 crore net in India.