Ananya Panday on her evolution: 'Fell in love with acting after Gehraiyaan'

Although the majority of films these days are unable to create a storm at the box office, Kesari: Chapter 2 is holding its own. Even though it was widely underperforming at the box office initially, the historical drama helmed by Karan Singh Tyagi managed to make over ₹80 crore in its first three weeks of release, which is quite an accomplishment.

Ananya Panday on the power of storytelling in Kesari: Chapter 2

One of the film's key characters, Ananya Panday, says the story is the film's strongest point. The actor told Mid Day that she had studied about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in school, as did everyone. However, she was unaware of how much information she had gleaned from her experience working on this film. Telling this part of the narrative was important to her.

The second chapter of Kesari is a fictionalised account of C. Sankaran Nair's legal struggle with the British Empire after the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh tragedy. Panday plays the role of Dilreet Gill, a young lawyer who forms a strong alliance with Akshay Kumar's character in the film. The senior actor has showcased his intense performances in Raksha Bandhan and Pad Man among many other films

The actor claims she felt a connection to her character despite the historical context. She could relate to Dilreet's unwavering determination. Although it might not be obvious, she is filled with a great deal of passion, and it was the same with Dilreet; her determination was unassuming. Despite her intense feelings, her character refrained from raising her voice to make her argument.

Beyond box office

Although the film's financial success is noteworthy, Panday, who was earlier seen in movies such as Pati Patni Aur Woh and Khaali Peeli thinks that the true measure of success lies in the impact it has on audiences' emotions. Making money at the box office isn't the only motivation for making films; telling stories is another. What matters most to her is how the audience responds. However, it is also a business, and successful films are essential. She also stated that the number of people who have watched the film directly correlates with its success. Therefore, they should stop viewing it in terms of "money" and start viewing it in terms of "love from the audience."

Panday has grown steadily as an actor since her 2019 debut in Student of the Year 2. She says that her life changed after being a part of Gehraiyaan (2022) by Shakun Batra. Her love affair with acting began with this film. Finally, she fully trusts her instincts. The actor used to be really concerned about the minds of those working on set and how one envisages the audience's reaction. She failed to really appreciate the moment because she was preoccupied with the end result.

Panday claims that this change persisted throughout her most recent works. The change occurred while she was working on CTRL and Call Me Bae (2024). Working on set no longer frightens her. It used to paralyse her, but now the pressure isn't even there.