The Modern Girl

From standing up to online bullies to dreaming of the perfect beach wedding, Ananya Panday answers 20 questions

- Butool Jamal

Even after a late night at a big Bollywood party, Ananya Panday arrives at our shoot in south Mumbai right on time. The bright-eyed, fresh-faced star is in shorts and a white T-shirt, eager and enthusiastic to get in front of the camera. For the shoot, she slips into the role of a poised, modern bride dressed in Gaurav Gupta’s sculptural couture, a far cry from the demanding high-school teenager she played in her debut film, Student of the Year 2. After the shoot, Panday answers questions over the phone while she is resting at home in between all-nighter shoots for her next project, Khaali Peeli, which is set to release next year.

Brides Today: This June you launched ‘So Positive’, a digital, social responsibility initiative to combat online bullying. Tell us what sparked the idea. Ananya Panday: The world of social media can be so nasty and negative, especially for women. Recently, I’ve been facing a lot of online bullying and trolling. Luckily, I have a really strong support system, but this is for those who don’t. So many young girls have come up to me and said that the initiative has helped them stand up to bullies or feel positive about themselves.

BT: What are you working on right now?

AP: My second film Pati Patni Aur Woh, is out in December. And I’m currently shooting for Khaali Peeli with Ishaan Khatter.

BT: A show you love to binge-watch?

AP: I recently watched Euphoria but I can also re-watch episodes of Gossip Girl or Friends. Reality shows like Bigg Boss or Splitsvilla are my guilty pleasures.

BT: Who is your favourite YouTuber?

AP: James Charles. He does his own makeup and I think he’s so cute and funny.