Chunky Pandey, 59, says, “I wanted her to be the best actress in the movie Masala.” But she’s telling me it’s all about acting and showing off her talent! “
Ananya, 23, could not help but protest. She says, “I have been in the industry for only three years now and I am enjoying the preparation process and hard work to become a character. “I have just started exploring and I have a lot to learn. I don’t want to limit myself to any one type of movie or content. I want to try everything! ”
The father and daughter look at each other in mock despair. Then they laugh out loud.
Signs of the future
Chunky cannot be blamed for hoping that Ananya will play the same role as her co-stars in the film industry. After all, Ananya admits that she is determined to sing and dance about life from her mother’s womb. As an infant, baby, toddler and teenager, Ananya Pandey was all about movies.
“She’s going to be the first to start dancing at any party; she’s going to be performing at the drop of a hat. In the beginning, she was showing all signs of becoming a heroine,” Chunky laughs.
“I used to love movies and still am!” Ananya agrees. “I will recreate the scenes and the dances. I was very surprised inside Poo Sometimes happiness, sometimes sorrow That I copied almost every dress she wore. I have watched that movie so many times that I can still tell it scene-by-scene! I was mad with Hrithik Roshan and I remember shouting his name when I saw him somewhere. ”
“And she used to dance like Hrithik, imitating all those steps,” Chunky laughed.
Ananya grew up watching Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan films. “She wasn’t just a star-stroke, she was a star-stroke too!” Chunky emphasizes. “She was a big fan of Hrithik Roshan! She was watching Shah Rukh Khan’s movies and new releases when she was three or four years old. She started watching my movie much later, although it was a curated list. They were retro for her, but she loved them. .
Less normal life
It all seems so far, very normal (ish). But being the daughter of a Hindi film hero, Ananya’s life was different from ours, and it is.
For example, the extent to which an on-screen death can affect moviegoers cannot explain how a seven-year-old child who is killed on screen feels the shock of being his father. “Even though my father was sitting next to me, I cried when I saw that scene. I couldn’t process it, ”recalls Ananya. “That movie [D, 2005] I was wounded for life. ”
And then there’s the fact that the baby’s uncles and aunts are somewhat well known. After all, Ananya’s friends are Suhana Khan and Shanaya Kapoor.
“Shah Rukh Sir and Sanjay Sir were very close parents and always made time for us,” recalls Ananya. “Shahrukh Sir will help Suhana and me to give us sports and train for our Taekwondo class. In fact, one of them will always be there to help us, be it our annual day celebrations, football games, whatever. It was like a big family and still There was also. They were a big inspiration as they grew up. ”
As much as ‘normal’ Ananya tries to make this sound, she also admits that it really isn’t. Come on कति How many people has Shah Rukh Khan trained to give sports! “Okay!” He shrugs “Who is not a fan of Shah Rukh Khan? But I am a big fan of the person who is off screen. He has a great contribution to make the person I am today. He always made sure that we grew up well and were treated like other children. “
The eyes of the storm
For those of us who are born without the benefit of film star parents, Ananya’s life seems like a symbol of privilege. When she debuted in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year 2 (for which she won a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut), she explains why she was caught up in the nepotism debate. Not only him, but his father was also shaken.
“I’ve been in the industry for about 35 years and it’s been like a family, we all look after each other,” says Chunky. “But, today, thanks to social media, the fate of an actor is decided almost every day. You don’t know if you will be a troll. I am impressed when Ananya is a troll or there is controversy around him. “
The only thing Chunky gets from the fear of not being able to save her child is how Ananya, a woman who is constantly attacking her daughter, goes through the ordeal herself.
“I see how happy she is with what she is doing and I feel good. She creates her own happiness,” says Chunky.
“I tell her that people talk about her because she’s popular. When you fail, people write to you, they don’t talk about you. When you succeed, people keep talking about you. I try to focus on the bright side.” But it is difficult to see your child being victimized by such things, ‘he says.
Ananya responded to the attack by launching a digital campaign, So Positive, designed to spread awareness about social media bullying. But it was his ability to laugh at himself that he inherited from his father, who gave him continuity.
“I think it’s very important to be able to laugh at yourself. It’s the only way to deal with things. Laugh at yourself first. We all do stupid things sometimes. I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life. People’s memory is short. We will grow, “Chunky pointed out.
The irony of the nepotism controversy surrounding Ananya is that Chunky himself was not a star kid. But somehow he entered the film industry.
Chunky, the son of two famous doctors Sharad Pandey and Snehalta Pandey, was an outsider when he entered Bollywood but he had nothing but ambition. He made his debut with the multi-starrer Fire Hi Fire (1987) which became the fourth highest grossing film of the year and paved his way in the industry, bringing him a string of movie offers.
Chunky says, “The fact that there are people who are not privileged like Ananya cannot be denied. “But the thing is, if those people need to achieve 10, they, because they have that start, need to achieve 100. When you come from a film background, your achievements in the industry should be much higher than others. People.”
Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person. Ananya says, “I learned to make thick skin. “I learned it from my father. When he was acting, people called him different things. He didn’t do what he wanted to do in the industry. I don’t say it doesn’t affect me, but I try to come back strong. .
Is the word of the Father
On the bright side, Ananya admits that there are some benefits to being a father in the industry she chooses to pursue her career.
“He’s gone through the ups and downs of his career and growing up around it, how he coped and how he handled it, never letting the smile on his face fade, of course I’m equipped for this volatile industry,” she says. . “I know that success and failure are both momentary here – any ball can go to sixes and any ball can stump you. It’s always about trying to play your best shot.
“Everyone has their own unique journey in any industry. He has to learn the craft himself, ”says Chunky. ‘Ananya has asked for my suggestions while choosing the film, she has always listened to her heart. Anyway, my advice would be based on what I did 30 years ago, which is very unnecessary now.
This generation is different and the audience is different. I don’t think I can guide her in her movie choices. But yes, I can teach him work ethic. “
Ananya listens attentively when her father talks about work ethic and etiquette; It is his experience that is the foundation of his highly volatile industry.
“He taught me how to have fun every day on the set and not be overwhelmed by the good or the bad,” she says. “Also, I’m really inspired by how he created so many memorable characters. I want to leave a legacy like that. I’m not sure if ‘legacy’ is the right word, but I want to make an impression on the industry. Remember.
Ananya’s journey from star kid to star has just begun. But already for a whole new generation, his audience, Chunky, is known as Ananya Pandey’s father. How does she feel
“It’s the best experience I’ve ever had. I’m glad to see him succeed when I’m enjoying his success. In fact, I was working tirelessly at the time and I don’t know when I succeeded,” says Chunky.
He looks at his daughter with pride. “There is no pressure on Ananya, but I hope she achieves what I did and I hope she never loses her child in doing so,” he says.
From HT Brunch, June 18, 2022
Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch
Connect with us at facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch
