Ananya Panday reflected on the emotional challenges she faced in her first year in the film industry, including rumors on social media questioning her academic achievements. She had been accepted into several prestigious US universities but chose to follow her acting dream after being offered a role in ‘Student of the Year 2’.
In an interview with Barkha Dutt, Ananya Panday opened up about the impact of social media on her self-confidence. She recalled being bullied in school with names like "hunchback" and "chicken legs" and shared how social media amplifies criticism. “Self-love is a journey, not a destination,” she said.
Ananya also reflected on how criticism affected her younger sister, Rysa, who isn’t an actress but faced negativity when tagged in posts. “She would ask us not to tag her because of the nasty messages she received,” Ananya revealed.
She recalled an incident in her early career when someone created a fake Instagram account claiming to be her schoolmate and spreading rumors about her. The account accused her of lying about her education and being a bully. Initially, Ananya dismissed it, thinking no one would believe the claims, but she was shocked when people did.
In response, Ananya posted on Instagram, defending her academic achievements and sending positivity to those trying to bring her down. She wrote, “Even though they claim to be my classmates, I know the people I went to school with would never do something like this.”
