29 May,2026 07:36 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ananya Panday. Pic via Instagram
Actress Ananya Panday has been recently facing massive backlash for her Bharatnatyam performance in her latest film Chand Mera Dil. After her clip from the film went viral, many criticised the actress for her robotic dance steps, with many even calling it an insult to the traditional dance form. Amid this, Ananya Panday recently spoke about how she deals with social media trolling.
In an interview with Filmfare, when asked about how she deals with trolling, the actress answered, "I don't deal with it anymore. I'm over it now. It's been going on for so many years. I started my initiative, So Positive, which is centred around digital social responsibility. When we first started it, the focus was more on online bullying and trolling. But over time, that initiative has evolved into something more positive, about kindness, self-improvement and creating healthier spaces online. That's also something I've personally started focusing on more. Instead of constantly listening to negativity or trying to 'fix' other people, I think it's better for everyone to look within themselves and try to create a more positive environment around them."
Revealing how exactly she does it, Ananya, "For example, I mute every page on Instagram that gives me even the slightest amount of anxiety. We consume social media so constantly that it genuinely affects our mental health. And because of that, it's in our hands to make our online space as positive as possible. We should be following things that make us feel good, things we enjoy seeing, and things we can actually learn from. Social media is a beast all of us have to deal with. So why not turn it into something positive, something you can learn from or have a meaningful experience with? For me, I look at it as a space to connect with my friends and connect with my audience."
When asked if the criticism has changed the way she approaches your craft or career decisions, the Chand Mera Dil actress replied, "That's probably the worst thing you can do. There's obviously a big difference between constructive criticism and just random negativity. You also need to know who you're taking advice from, and where to draw the line between someone simply insulting you and someone genuinely telling you something that could actually help you grow."
She further added, "But when it comes to your craft, I don't think you should be taking advice from anyone other than the people you're working with. I'm a complete director's actor, and I look to my directors to guide me on how to approach a performance or understand a character. So generally, I don't look at comments or those kinds of things on Instagram."
