Amidst criticism, father Chunky Pandey says Ananya’s Bharatnatyam was ‘misunderstood’
Chunky Panday reacts to the backlash over Ananya Panday’s Bharatnatyam fusion sequence in Chand Mera Dil. The actor explained why viewers may have misunderstood the controversial scene.
Actor Chunky Panday has come out in support of his daughter Ananya Panday after her dance sequence. moon my heart This sparked widespread debate online. The clip, which features Ananya performing a Bharatnatyam-inspired fusion routine, drew criticism from several social media users and classical dancers, many of whom questioned the choreography and execution.
Responding to the response, Chunky said that the performance was “completely misunderstood” as it was never intended to be a pure Bharatanatyam recital. talking to etimesHe explained that the sequence was designed as a fusion act, as is often performed in college cultural festivals. He urged the audience to see the film in context before reacting, saying, “People assumed it was traditional Bharatanatyam and started judging it from that perspective.”
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Why was the Chand Mera Dil dance sequence criticized?
In the film, Ananya plays Chandni, the daughter of a Bharatnatyam dancer played by Charu Shankar. In the now-viral visuals, Chandni is shown instead of presenting a traditional classical routine, opting for a contemporary fusion performance blending Bharatnatyam with hip-hop and locking.
Watch the video here:
The sequence soon became a topic of discussion online, with many Bharatanatyam practitioners criticizing the choreography. Famous Bharatanatyam exponent and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award recipient Anita Ratnam was among those who criticized the sequence.
Reviewing the viral clip on social media, he wrote, “Bharatanatyam is built on technique, control, tradition, geometry, musicality and emotional depth. This clip is like a wedding sangeet filmed during a mild earthquake.” He also said that the choreography appeared to have progressed rapidly through “centuries of refinement, training, dedication and devotion”.
Take a look at his post:
What did Chunky Pandey say in Ananya’s defense?
Chunky emphasized that classical Bharatanatyam requires years of rigorous training and the film never attempted to present the sequence as a traditional recital. According to him, the act was intended to represent an experimental blend of modern and traditional styles rather than a strictly classical performance.
He said that audiences may have reacted differently after seeing the entire narrative arc rather than individual clips broadcast online.
How has Chand Mera Dil performed so far?
Directed by Vivek Soni and backed by Dharma Productions, the film is based in an engineering college and follows the relationship between Aarav and Chandni as adulthood complicates their romance.
Meanwhile, Chunky is also preparing for release. If you are young then you have to fall in loveDirected by David Dhawan and starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde.