Ananya Panday Faces Backlash Over Bharatanatyam Scene In 'Chand Mera Dil', Internet Divided

Ananya Panday’s Bharatanatyam scene from Chand Mera Dil has gone viral, drawing criticism, memes and mixed reactions online.

Ananya Panday’s Bharatanatyam sequence from Chand Mera Dil sparked intense reactions and memes online.

Source : X/@iparthjoshii

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Ananya Panday's dance scene in Chand Mera Dil sparks online debate.
• Critics called her Bharatanatyam portrayal an embarrassment and insult.
• Supporters defended the fusion dance and questioned the outrage.
• Film performs well commercially despite dance controversy and criticism.

A dance sequence of Ananya Panday from her latest film, Chand Mera Dil has set social media buzzing, but not entirely for the reasons the makers may have expected. A short clip from the film, released on May 22, quickly spread across platforms, triggering a flood of memes, criticism and divided opinions over its portrayal of Bharatanatyam.

In the film, Ananya plays Chandni, an engineering student who is also trained in Bharatanatyam. The sequence shows her performing a routine that catches the attention of her love interest. While some viewers appreciated the stylised cinematic approach, many online users harshly criticised the performance.

Viral Clip Triggers Strong Reactions Online

Bharatnatyam devolved in 200 BCE and ended with Ananya Pandey in 2026. pic.twitter.com/rRSTlwcsS4

— पार्थ. (@iparthjoshii) May 24, 2026

The conversation escalated after a user shared the scene on social media platform X and wrote, “Bharatnatyam devolved in 200 BCE and ended with Ananya Pandey in 2026.”

The post rapidly gained traction, drawing a barrage of reactions from viewers.

One viewer commented, “Bharatnatyam evolved”.

Another wrote, “They try so hard to hide her inability to dance its so embarrassing at this point”.

A separate user joked, “Can someone check that hero's pulse?”

The criticism did not stop there. One comment read, “No acting skills, no screen presence, no charisma, yet she keeps getting shoved into movies & irritate us, only because she’s Chunky Panday’s daughter".

Another user, claiming experience in the classical dance form, posted, “As someone who has learned Bharatnatyam for 6 years, what tomfoolery is this. Ew”

Despite the trolling, several people stepped in to defend the actor and the creative choice behind the sequence.

One user argued, “its a fusion dance...putting just a part of it from the pirated print that you illegally downloaded and then putting here to degrade Bollywood (a pastime for many here) is not cool”.

Another social media user questioned the outrage itself, writing, “That's a bold claim - so what exactly triggered the downfall of this ancient dance form, and how do you define 'ended' with Ananya Pandey in 2026. Did her portrayal contribute to its revitalization or decline".

Film Performs Well Despite Controversy

As Chand Mera Dil entered Day 3 of its theatrical run today, the film was playing across 2,838 shows nationwide and had already earned an estimated Rs 2.26 crore net in India through live updates. With this, the movie’s India gross collection has climbed to ₹10.68 crore, while its India net total currently stands at Rs 9.01 crore. Final figures for the day are still awaited.

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