‘People Misunderstood It’: Chunky Panday Defends Daughter Ananya Panday Amid Chand Mera Dil Dance Controversy

Ananya Panday has been facing online criticism over a dance sequence from her recently released film Chand Mera Dil. A video featuring the actress performing a Bharatanatyam-inspired fusion dance went viral on social media and sparked debate among viewers and classical dancers. Many users criticized the performance, claiming it misrepresented the classical dance form. Amid the trolling, Ananya’s father Chunky Panday has now spoken publicly in support of his daughter.

Chunky Panday Defends Daughter Ananya Panday's Amid Chand Mera Dil Dance Row

Chunky Panday with daughter Ananya Panday (Image: Instagram) 

Reacting to the criticism, Chunky Panday said the dance sequence had been misunderstood by people online. Speaking to ETimes, the actor explained that the sequence was designed as a fusion performance, similar to acts often seen during college cultural festivals and not a classical dance purpose. 

He said, “People assumed it was traditional Bharatanatyam and started judging it from that lens. But pure Bharatanatyam requires years and years of rigorous training, almost 20 years of discipline and precision. It’s extremely technical and structured, almost robotic in its movements and expressions.”

Chunky Panday added, “This is a fusion of futuristic, advanced dance forms with elements of traditional dance. It’s a creative blend, not a classical recital. I would request people to watch the film and understand the context before reacting.”

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What Is In The Chand Mera Dil Viral Dance Video?

The viral dance sequence shows Ananya Panday performing a fusion routine combining Bharatanatyam-inspired moves with hip-hop and locking styles. Soon after the clip surfaced online, it became a major topic of discussion across social media platforms.

Several Bharatanatyam artists and classical dance lovers criticized the choreography and questioned the use of classical elements in a modern fusion format.

 

 

 

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Chunky Requests Audience To Watch Full Film

Chunky Panday further stated that mastering Bharatanatyam requires years of dedicated training and the film never claimed the scene to be an authentic classical dance performance.

Directed by Vivek Soni and produced by Dharma Productions, Chand Mera Dil stars Ananya Panday alongside Lakshya. Set in an engineering college, the romantic drama follows the journey of a young couple and is currently running in theatres.