Ananya Panday and Lakshya starrer ‘Chand Mera Dil’ has grabbed attention in recent days, not for its story or box office performance, but for its dance sequence featuring Ananya Panday. Social media quickly turned the clip into a meme fest after the Bharatanatyam-inspired performance surfaced online. The actress was brutally trolled, with many saying that her dance moves were nowhere near classical art.
Ananya Panday brutally trolled for Bharatnatyam moves in ‘Chand Mera Dil’
Netizens compared her performance to legendary Bollywood actresses like Sridevi and others who have mastered classical dance forms. Apart from social media users, a section of the media also sought the views of trained Bharatanatyam experts and classical dancers on the sequence.
Big Panday She accepts her daughter Ananya for receiving online backlash
Now, Ananya’s father, actor Chunky Panday, has come to her defence. Speaking to ETimes, he clarified that the sequence was never meant to be pure Bharatanatyam.“I think people got it completely wrong. It was never meant to be pure Bharatanatyam. It was a fusion performance, the kind of experimental dance that you see college students doing at social or cultural events,” he said.Chunky further explained that people mistook the act for a classical recital and judged it accordingly.“People assumed that Bharatanatyam was traditional and started judging it through that lens. But pure Bharatanatyam takes years and years of rigorous training. Almost 20 years of discipline and precision. It’s very technical and structured, almost robotic in its movements and expressions.”Calling it a creative experiment, he added, “It is a fusion of futuristic and advanced dance forms with elements of traditional dance. It’s a creative mix, not a classical recital. I would ask people to watch the film and understand the context before reacting.’
Chand Mera Dil
Set in the backdrop of an engineering school, ‘Chand Mera Dil’ follows Aarav and Chandni, two students whose passionate romance takes an unexpected turn when adulthood and responsibilities come too early in their lives. What begins as a young love story gradually turns into an emotionally intense journey of marriage, parenthood, sacrifice and self-discovery.Professionally, Chunky Panday was last seen in ‘Rahu Ketu’ and will next be seen in David Dhawan’s ‘Hai Jawaani Toh Ishq Hona Hai’.
