Veteran author and prominent columnist Shobhaa De has publicly defended Bollywood actor Ananya Panday after she faced a wave of online backlash for her Bharatanatyam dance sequence in the upcoming film Chand Mera Dil. The controversy erupted after a clip from the movie, which shows Ananya performing a fusion of classical Bharatanatyam and contemporary dance, began circulating on social media. Critics quickly labelled the performance clumsy and disrespectful to the classical form, while others mocked her by calling it “Nepo Natyam,” implying that her access to the film and dance sequences was a result of privilege rather than talent or training.
Shobhaa De stepped into the debate by questioning why the criticism is being directed solely at Ananya, pointing out that the actor is not a trained Bharatanatyam dancer in the first place. She argued that the choreographer and director are the ones who made the decision to pair her with a classical dance form, and if anyone needs to be called out, it should be them for the execution of the sequence. According to De, Ananya is simply following the director’s vision, and the constant trolling is unfair, especially when the clip may have been taken out of context.
De also highlighted the broader pressure that young stars face in Bollywood, where they are often expected to perform classical, fusion, or modern dances without formal training simply because the director wants it for a particular scene. She noted that this is not a new phenomenon; even older actors, many of whom were not trained classical dancers, were frequently expected to perform classical or fusion dances throughout their careers. In her view, Ananya is just one of the many actors caught in this unrealistic expectation, yet she is being singled out for harsh and disproportionate criticism.
Despite not having watched the full film and relying only on clips, De expressed that she felt the trolling went too far. She acknowledged that Ananya has tried her best and that calling her performance “Nepo Natyam” might sound cute, but it masks a deeper issue about how the industry and audience treat young stars. She urged people to look at the bigger picture and suggested that if accountability is needed, it should be directed towards the creative team behind the scene rather than just the actor.
This is not the first time Shobhaa De has publicly supported Ananya, though their relationship has been complex. Earlier in February 2026, De had said Ananya “lacks a distinct personality” and needed more substantial roles beyond “Barbie dolling up,” but she also praised her performance in Kho Gaye Hum Kahan as her best work so far. The Bharatanatyam row has now reignited discussions about who gets blamed when a star attempts classical art on screen, how nepotism narratives shape public criticism, and whether actors are unfairly turned into scapegoats for creative decisions made by filmmakers.