Bollywood actress Ananya Panday has found herself at the center of a social media storm following the release of her latest romantic drama, Chand Mera Dil. A clip featuring Panday performing a Bharatanatyam fusion dance sequence went viral shortly after the film’s theatrical debut on May 22, triggering widespread criticism from audiences and dance enthusiasts alike.
Online critics were quick to pull apart the performance, with several viral posts humorously claiming the actress had turned the revered classical dance form of “Bharatanatyam into bharta.” Viewers on X (formerly Twitter) expressed disappointment over the execution of the sequence, calling the choreography stiff and noting a distinct lack of abhinaya—the traditional art of facial expression central to Indian classical dance. One viral tweet went as far as to label the performance “cultural desecration in a designer lehenga,” urging the actress to leave sacred arts to trained professionals.
The backlash intensified as netizens began drawing comparisons between Panday’s performance and Sai Pallavi’s widely acclaimed classical dance sequence in the 2021 film Shyam Singha Roy. Audiences used the comparison to highlight the stark contrast in grace, technical precision, and emotional depth between the two performances. While fusion experiments are common in modern cinema, the internet’s sharp reaction underscores a growing sensitivity among audiences regarding the presentation and preservation of traditional Indian art forms on the big screen. Neither Panday nor the makers of Chand Mera Dil have responded to the online criticism.
