Actor Ananya Panday is facing intense online criticism after a dance sequence from her latest film Chand Mera Dil started circulating widely across social media. What was supposed to be a fusion performance inside the film has now turned into a meme fest online, with viewers heavily debating her Bharatanatyam-inspired routine and questioning the choreography itself. The situation grabbed even more attention after actor Ridhima Pandit appeared to mock the viral clip through a social media comment that quickly spread online.
The controversy started after several reels featuring Ananya’s dance performance began trending across Instagram and X. In the film, her character Chandni performs a fusion routine mixing Bharatanatyam with hip-hop and locking styles. But instead of appreciating the experimental approach, many viewers felt the execution looked awkward and disconnected from classical dance traditions. Soon, memes and parody edits flooded the internet, with users giving the sequence nicknames and sarcastic labels.
One reel that particularly went viral carried the caption comparing the performance to learning Bharatanatyam from online tutorials before a college cultural event. The clip jokingly replaced “Bharatanatyam” with “Roboratanatyam,” and the internet instantly ran with it. Among the many reactions, Ridhima Pandit’s comment saying “Guts” along with crying emojis became one of the most shared screenshots related to the controversy.
Social Media Divided Over The Fusion Dance Scene
The backlash around the performance became surprisingly intense, especially among users familiar with classical dance forms. Several viewers argued that the issue was not the idea of fusion itself but the overall choreography and execution. Some social media users claimed the sequence failed both as Bharatanatyam and as a modern dance fusion, while others questioned why the scene was designed in that particular style in the first place.
At the same time, another section of the audience defended Ananya and pointed out that the scene was never presented as a pure Bharatanatyam recital. Supporters argued that the film intentionally portrayed a younger generation experimenting with dance styles, particularly in a college setting where performances are often more playful and contemporary rather than technically classical.
The debate became bigger because the film itself establishes Chandni as the daughter of a trained Bharatanatyam dancer played by Charu Shankar. Because of that setup, many viewers expected a more authentic classical presentation and reacted strongly when the performance leaned heavily into fusion choreography.
Chunky Panday Defends Daughter Amid Online Criticism
As the trolling intensified, Ananya’s father and actor Chunky Pandey publicly stepped in to defend her. Speaking about the backlash, he clarified that audiences misunderstood the intention behind the sequence and started judging it like a traditional Bharatanatyam performance even though it was designed as a modern fusion act.
Chunky explained that authentic Bharatanatyam demands years of disciplined training and technical precision, adding that the film never claimed Ananya was performing a pure classical recital. According to him, the sequence was meant to reflect the kind of experimental dance performances often seen at college festivals and youth cultural events.
Directed by Vivek Soni and backed by Dharma Productions, Chand Mera Dil revolves around engineering college students Aarav and Chandni as their relationship changes once adult responsibilities begin affecting their lives. While the romantic drama generated decent curiosity before release, audience reactions after release have remained mixed, and the ongoing viral dance controversy has now become one of the biggest talking points surrounding the film online.
