Snehashish roy
Actor Chunky Panday has come out in support of daughter Ananya Panday after the actor faced intense trolling online over her Bharatanatyam-inspired fusion performance in the recently released film Chand Mera Dil. The controversy erupted after clips from the film began circulating widely on social media, with many viewers and classical dancers criticising the choreography and execution of the dance sequence.
The viral clip features Ananya performing a stage act that blends Bharatanatyam with hip-hop and locking styles. In the film, her character Chandni is shown as the daughter of a Bharatanatyam dancer, played by actor Charu Shankar.
Soon after the scene surfaced online, social media users began mocking the performance, with several posts accusing the film of disrespecting the classical dance form. Bharatanatyam dancers and art enthusiasts also joined the criticism, calling the choreography “catastrophic” and “inauthentic.”
One of the most widely discussed reactions came from celebrated dancer and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award recipient Anita Ratnam, who criticised the sequence sharply on social media. She wrote that Bharatanatyam appeared to be “held hostage by a catastrophic misunderstanding of the form.”
As the backlash intensified, Chunky Panday addressed the controversy in an interview with ETimes and defended Ananya’s performance. According to the actor, viewers misunderstood the intention behind the dance sequence because it was never designed as a pure Bharatanatyam recital.
“I think people completely misunderstood it,” Chunky said while responding to the trolling.
He explained that the performance was intended as a fusion dance inspired by the kind of experimental routines commonly seen during college cultural festivals and stage competitions. According to him, the choreography was meant to combine futuristic and modern dance styles with traditional Bharatanatyam elements rather than present a technically accurate classical recital.
Chunky also acknowledged the complexity of Bharatanatyam and stressed that mastering the classical form requires years of dedicated training. He said pure Bharatanatyam involves discipline, structure and precision developed over decades.
“It’s extremely technical and structured, almost robotic in its movements and expressions,” Chunky said while discussing the traditional dance form.
He further urged audiences to understand the scene’s context within the film before judging the performance.
The actor’s statement quickly went viral online and triggered fresh debate across X, Instagram and Reddit. While several users supported Chunky’s defence and argued that the sequence was intentionally stylised, others maintained that classical dance forms should be handled more carefully in mainstream cinema.
The controversy has now evolved into a broader online conversation about the balance between artistic experimentation and cultural authenticity in Bollywood films.
Some users defended Ananya Panday and argued that fusion dance has become common in modern performance culture, especially among younger audiences and stage productions. Others felt the issue was less about experimentation and more about poor choreography and execution.
The debate intensified further after behind-the-scenes clips from the film’s dance rehearsals surfaced online. The BTS videos showed Ananya practising Bharatanatyam movements with choreographers before filming the sequence.
The assistant choreographer associated with the sequence, Ananya R Kurup, also defended the actor publicly amid the trolling. Sharing rehearsal clips and photos from the set, she praised Ananya Panday’s effort and commitment during training sessions.
“You’ve absolutely nailed your performance in Chand Mera Dil,” the choreographer wrote while praising the actor online.
Ananya Panday herself has not directly reacted to the backlash so far. However, the actor responded to the choreographer’s supportive post with heart emojis on Instagram.
The controversy has also drawn political reactions online. Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed criticised the performance and wrote that Ananya had “killed” her favourite dance form.
Meanwhile, meme pages and entertainment accounts continue reposting clips from the dance sequence, turning it into one of the most viral Bollywood discussions of the week.
Chand Mera Dil, directed by Vivek Soni and backed by Dharma Productions, stars Ananya Panday opposite Lakshya. The romantic drama is set inside an engineering college and follows the relationship between two students navigating adulthood and emotional challenges.
The film released in theatres on May 22 and has received mixed responses from critics and audiences. According to reports, the film crossed ₹13 crore at the box office within its first five days but struggled to maintain momentum afterward.
Ananya Panday has frequently faced social media scrutiny throughout her career, especially around performance criticism and nepotism debates. At the same time, the actor has also received praise in recent years for projects such as Kho Gaye Hum Kahan and CTRL.