Bhavana Pandey, in a recent interview with Mid-day’s ‘Sit With Hitlist’ series, opened up about the challenges she faced while supporting her daughter, Ananya Panday, through the ups and downs of her career.
The actress, known for her roles in films like ‘Gehraiyaan’, made her Bollywood debut in 2019 with ‘Student Of The Year 2’ at the young age of 18.
Like many newcomers in the industry, Ananya faced her fair share of trolling and criticism in the early stages of her career.
Bhavana shared how deeply the negative comments affected her initially. “It used to hurt me a lot. I used to think, how can they say these things?” she recalled.
However, over time, she learned to develop a thicker skin and shift her focus away from the negativity. Bhavana emphasized that while the internet can be harsh, there is also a lot of love and appreciation directed toward her daughter Ananya.
Also Read: CTRL Review: A cautionary tale of love, loss and the digital age
“Let’s be honest, there is a lot of love also she has got,” Bhavana said, pointing out that fans often approach her to praise Ananya’s work and personality.
In the same interview, Bhavana discussed her role in Ananya’s career decisions, particularly when it comes to selecting scripts. Though she was quick to acknowledge that Ananya has a strong sense of judgment when it comes to choosing her projects, Bhavana revealed that her daughter often shares scripts with her.
If something catches her attention, Bhavana offers her perspective and support, positioning herself more as a “sounding board” to help boost Ananya’s confidence rather than taking credit for her decisions.
Bhavana also reflected on her own experiences with the unpredictable nature of fame, having witnessed the ebbs and flows of success with her husband, actor Chunky Panday. This has led her to instill humility in Ananya.
She stressed that while success is something to be grateful for, it’s just as important to remain grounded. “If you’re not a nice person, all that doing well goes out of the window,” she concluded.