Ananya Panday's recent OTT releases, CTRL and Call Me Bae, have received a lot of love from her fans. Reflecting on her journey, Ananya shared that she feels people are now taking her "more seriously" as an actor. “With CTRL and Call Me Bae coming out, I feel that people are finally taking me a lot more seriously as an actor. I shot both the projects last year, so this year has been all about watching the fruits of my labour come to life. Besides the professional aspect, I also feel that I have now come into my own,” Ananya told Grazia India.
Talking about her growth, Ananya Panday added, “I feel a lot more comfortable in my skin, and the year has been a homecoming of sorts after seeing myself struggle to get my bearings for the larger part of my early 20s."
The actress also spoke about how the definition of a star has changed with time. Ananya Panday said, “Earlier, you would use the word star to describe a popular actor, but with so many platforms, people are now social media stars in their own right. As for superstars, there always will be that one person that everyone can't help but get starstruck by, including me. But yes, I feel like it's required from us to always be ‘on' because you are constantly being watched. People want you to be a star, but at the same time, they also want you to be relatable. So, I think everyone is stuck between finding the right balance between being who they are and being who the audience wants them to be.”
Coming back to Ananya Panday's recent OTT successes: Call Me Bae was released on Prime Video in September 2024. The 8-episode comedy-drama featured Ananya alongside Gurfateh Pirzada and Varun Sood in pivotal roles.
On the other hand, the Netflix original, CTRL is a sci-fi thriller directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, Vihaan Samat and Devika Vatsa are also a part of the cast.
Up next, Ananya Panday will share the screen with Akshay Kumar in the film Shankara.