Bhavana Pandey is a woman of many identities. She is a celebrated costume designer, a ‘Bollywood wife’ of Chunky Panday, and the proud mother of actress, Ananya Panday and her sister, Rysa Panday. In the last couple of years, Bhavana has remained in the limelight for her stint in the popular Netflix reality series, Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives. Recently, Bhavana engaged in a candid chat, proudly discussing Ananya’s acting journey from a novice Bollywood entrant to her acclaimed performances. The proud mom did not hold back and criticised Ananya’s ‘raw performance’ in her first film, Student of The Year 2.
Bhavana Pandey recently sat for a chat with Bollywood Bubble where she candidly expressed her views on her daughter, Ananya Panday’s debut in Bollywood. The costume designer reflected on Ananya’s 2019 debut in Punit Malhotra’s Student of the Year 2, saying:
“I think she did everything she could from her side. She gave her best effort. Of course, there are so many factors that matter in a film. Maybe in Student of the Year 2… she was too raw. So I wouldn’t say she didn’t try her best, but perhaps she wasn’t fully aware of what to do.”
Bhavana acknowledged that Ananya was still at a stage where she was finding her way into acting, and also lauded her dedication to do better every day. There’s no denying the fact that Ananya has come a long way. Her recent work in Kho Gaye Hum Kahan and the comedy series, Call Me Bae has earned her significant praise, and rightfully so.
Besides being Ananya’s mom, Bhavana is clearly her daughter’s biggest fan. In the same interview, Bhavana expressed her pride in seeing Ananya grow out of her shell and embrace acting. She gushed about Ananya’s comedic timing and character portrayal in Call Me Bae. Bhavana explained:
“I think she was very funny. I don’t want to sound like an obsessed fan, but I keep rewatching that series. Whenever I have nothing else to watch, I put it on because it’s just so funny. I really enjoyed her character.”
In the third season of Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, Bhavana and Chunky openly talked to Ananya about how proud they felt to see their daughter accomplish so much growth within just 5 years. As Ananya gears up for bigger challenges in Bollywood, it’s clear that her mother is her most ardent supporter and honest critic.
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Even though Ananya Panday had a shaky start in Bollywood, her career has taken an upward stride with her unyielding dedication. Adding to her list of accomplishments, Ananya also starred in CTRL (2024), playing Nella Awasthi, a social media influencer navigating a breakup with the help of AI. The young actress is now preparing for her next big project, a period drama featuring Akshay Kumar and R. Madhavan, set to release in March 2025.
Meanwhile, Bhavana Pandey herself is no stranger to the limelight. Known for her role in Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, she continues to enjoy the success of its third season.
What do you think of Ananya’s transformation over the years?
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