KWK8: Ananya Panday on dealing with hate and seeking validation: "I haven't yet gotten the respect"

Bollywood's youngest sensations, Ananya Panday and Sara Ali Khan, graced the iconic "Koffee With Karan" couch in a recent episode of Season 8. The chat show, hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, provided a platform for Ananya to share her candid thoughts on the challenges she has faced in the industry, seeking respect, and handling criticism.

During the show, Karan Johar brought up a previous discussion on nepotism that revolved around actor Siddhant Chaturvedi's witty response to Ananya Panday's comments. He also mentioned that Ananya had expressed not receiving the validation, love, and respect she believed she deserved after the round-table debate.

Responding to this, Ananya emphasized that she didn't want to portray herself as a victim or claim that her journey has been tough. She said, "But it does get tough because I think all I ever worked for is validation. I am my father's daughter, and he's a huge people pleaser, and in every aspect of my life, I've just wanted love from people, and that's something I've worked towards all the time."

The young actress acknowledged that she was fortunate to receive love with her debut film, but what she still yearns for is the respect of a talented artist. Ananya said, "I felt that love, but sometimes I feel like I haven't yet gotten the respect from people, and that's something I am working towards and hoping for eventually because I do want to feel validated as a good actor, and I want people to think that I am worthy of the opportunities I have received." She also acknowledged that gaining respect is a work in progress and that she cannot simply expect everything to come to her.

Ananya Panday has been no stranger to criticism and hate from various quarters. She explained how initially, the negative attention bothered her, but over time, she has found peace in dealing with it. She shared, "But I do feel that just because we have grown up in the industry, it's weird because there are moments of our lives that are just permanently present for people to watch and judge, even though we have changed so much from them. I have changed, and I'm hoping people see that and grow with me and see that change."

As she continues to tread her path in the film industry, it's evident that Ananya is on a journey of self-discovery and transformation, one that will hopefully lead to the respect she desires.