'Call Out Chand Mera Dil Choreographer, Why Target Ananya Panday?': Shobhaa De REACTS To 'Nepo Natyam' Backlash—VIDEO
· Free Press Journal
Author and columnist Shobhaa De has come out in support of actress Ananya Panday amid the backlash surrounding her Bharatanatyam-inspired dance sequence in the recently released film Chand Mera Dil. Reacting to the criticism and the viral 'Nepo Natyam' jibe aimed at her, Shobhaa questioned why the trolling was being directed solely at Ananya instead of the creative team behind the sequence.
Shobhaa De Defends Ananya Panday Amid 'Nepo Natyam' Row
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Sharing a video on her Instagram handle, Shobhaa was heard saying, "She’s not a trained Bharatanatyam dancer, and if you have to call out anyone, shouldn’t it be the choreographer and the director? Why target her?" She also highlighted the immense pressure actors face in commercial cinema, where they are often expected to perform multiple dance forms and deliver flawless expressions despite lacking formal training.
Check out the video:
'Would Request People To...': Chunky Panday REACTS To Ananya Panday Being Trolled Over Bharatanatyam Fusion In Chand Mera DilView this post on Instagram
'Ananya Panday Has Tried...'
Addressing the online trolling aimed at Ananya Panday, Shobhaa De said people were quick to judge short clips, adding that though she has not watched the film, she has seen the clips, and being constantly trolled and called 'Nepo Natyam' may sound cute, but 'she has tried.'
Meet nepo-kid Ananya Panday.
— Bhavesh Gujrati (@Bhaveshlivelife) May 26, 2026
Karan Johar is her godfather and she wrapped up her fancy "acting course" at Dharma Productions.
Now she's starring in Chand Mera Dil, attempting Bharatanatyam under choreographer Adil Sheikh.
That's right - the 2200-year-old classical dance form… pic.twitter.com/uOq1q4S5wA
Defends Actors
Defending actors' efforts on screen, Shobhaa De said performers are required to lip-sync, dance, and emote all at once, adding that Indian actors are often expected to seamlessly balance multiple performance skills on screen while making it look effortless.
View this post on Instagram
Shobhaa’s comments have since sparked debate online, with many social media users agreeing that the criticism against Ananya had become excessive and unnecessarily personal.
Earlier, Chunky Panday defended his daughter Ananya after her Bharatanatyam fusion sequence in Chand Mera Dil faced trolling online. Clarifying the controversy, Chunky told ETimes, "It was never meant to be pure Bharatanatyam," adding that the performance was designed as a creative fusion experiment rather than a traditional classical dance recital.
Meanwhile, Ananya has not directly addressed the criticism yet.