Not easy being critiqued

Ananya Panday

With her latest season of No Filter Neha, host Neha Dhupia hopes to bring stars' authentic and vulnerable side to the fore. Ananya Panday features in the upcoming episode of the JioTV offering. The actor may have initially battled criticism and social media hate, but she has slowly come into her own, giving mature performances in Gehraiyaan (2022) and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (2023). In the episode, Panday reflected on how she dealt with criticism, saying, "If [the critics] are giving constructive feedback, then I don't think it's anything to bother with. On some days, the nastiest of things [said by trolls] wouldn't bother me because I was having a fine day and feeling confident. [But] when I'm having a bad day, then [even a remark] about my hair being greasy will freak me out. When people say that they won't watch a film because I'm in it, that makes me feel bad, not for myself, but for the hundreds of other people who have worked on the film."

The first few years weren't a smooth ride for Panday as she was scrutinised for her choice of films. When Dhupia asked her about her first few movies, she said they shaped her as an artiste. "I don't think I would be the actor I am, if not for the lows. Ups and downs make you."