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“It’s giving Moira Rose,” exclaims Ananya Panday, referring to Catherine O’Hara’s character in Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020), sending a wave of giggles across the room. The actor is balanced on a pedestal in a black and white faux-feather-like ruffled dress reminiscent of an angel’s wings, gazing deep into the camera. After a burst of images, she stands back up without anybody’s help and patiently waits for direction on the next pose. It’s evident that Panday is hardworking—the range of movies she has appeared in over the last year is a testament to it—but she’s putting in overtime for her first Vogue India cover. “Every detail matters, and I want to do my best,” she says, revealing a sliver of the passionate Scorpio she is before getting back into character for another shot. This time, she’s grooving to Charli XCX’s ‘365’, which is amusing, because, with her Bambi eyes, Type A personality and can-do attitude, she seems to be anything but brat. This sincerity isn’t just for show. It’s also apparent in her recent work, from Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (2023) to Call Me Bae (2024) and CTRL (2024). In 2024, she was booked and busy, but as she looks to 2025, she’s chasing a sense of “balance between her life and work”—which has remained elusive. So who better than the people closest to her to ask her questions that reveal unheard stories? Here’s what she has to say…
Suhana Khan: From watching America’s Next Top Model (2003-2018) together to being on the cover of Vogue India, how have you evolved as an actor and as a person?
Ananya Panday: Our catch-ups and DMs still revolve around debating reality TV series like Too Hot To Handle (2020-) and Love Is Blind (2020-). I am more or less the same, but people think I’ve changed more than I do. I’m constantly evolving as an actor, but as a person I’m way more comfortable, confident and less of a people pleaser. Earlier, I couldn’t enter a party alone and would overthink to the point of driving myself crazy. My brain was occupied with thoughts: “Do they like me? Do they not like me? Have I said the right or wrong thing?” Now, I don’t care as much about the smaller things that aren’t in my control.
Chunky Panday: You love my choice of clothes and you keep borrowing my shirts, but you don’t like the choice of films I want you to do…
AP: Your choice of clothing is questionable, but I do borrow your clothes occasionally. In terms of films, we’re from different generations and are different kinds of actors. But we bond over the films we love to watch. You’re my movie-going partner and we’ve watched commercial films together, such as Pushpa 2: The Rule (2024) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017). Sometimes we lock horns when picking scripts because I want to explore my craft as much as possible and do roles that are slightly off-centre and more meaningful. I like that you let me make my own mistakes along the way and advise me in a non-pushy way. Soon enough, we’ll reach a middle ground.
Maheep Kapoor: We’ve had so many holidays together, from London to the US, South Africa and more. Do you have a precious memory from any of them?
AP: When we were in South Africa as kids, Shanaya and I wanted to be grown-ups so badly that she climbed on my shoulders and we wore a gigantic bathrobe to look like one person. Shanaya and I have always had this two-people-one-body thing. Even when you were pregnant with her, I used to sleep on your belly.
Shanaya Kapoor: You’ve come such a long way and we are all so proud of you, Anne. Do you feel you have had your I-made-it moment yet?
AP: I’ve had many mini I-made-it moments, but not that big one because I don’t ever want to get complacent. Even in school, I was always super competitive, a front-bencher and a teacher’s pet—both Suhana and you know this. But it’s less about beating someone and more about doing better. Even when my first film, Student of the Year 2 (2019), released and I won my first Filmfare Award, I thought: “I’ve made it.” But there’s always the next thing. Honestly, I don’t want the big I-made-it moment to ever come.
Collin D’Cunha: If you could play any character besides the ones you have, which one would it be and why?
AP: Poo from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…(2001) and Geet from Jab We Met (2007). They are obvious, but close to my heart. I could probably not even give 0.1 per cent of what Kareena [Kapoor Khan] did with either of those characters, but they would be so much fun. I would also like to try my hand at the character she played in Chameli (2003), as well as those portrayed by Konkona [Sen Sharma] in Luck by Chance (2009) and Deepika [Padukone] in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013). Sometimes, I watch films from the 2000s and feel nostalgic for a time I was too young to even recall.
Shakun Batra: What’s your dream role now that the sky is the limit?
AP: I would love to star in a biopic. I enjoy watching actors play Princess Diana on screen, like in The Crown (2016-2023) or Spencer (2021). It’s fascinating how there are multiple ways in which you can portray one character with their shades, opinions and personalities feeding off each other on screen. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it, but I like the idea of playing yesteryear actors from the ’50s and ’60s like Madhubala, Meena Kumari and Waheeda Rehman.
Amit Aggarwal: You never forget to celebrate the designer you’re wearing. What’s your relationship with fashion like?
AP: Growing up, I wasn’t into fashion at all. I wore my brother’s oversized clothes, pyjamas and workout leggings—unlike Shanaya, Suhana and Rysa, who had a strong sense of style. As I started working, I felt the pressure to dress up. I’ve discovered that I’m more of a classic person when it comes to silhouettes and colours. I have a few favourite Indian designers like Arpita Mehta, Manish Malhotra, Rahul Mishra—and you, of course—who make me feel very comfortable whenever I wear their garments. When it comes to collaboration, thank god for Instagram tags and captions.
Rysa Panday: What’s one thing you wish you could steal from my closet?
AP: I want to take back a lot of things that you’ve taken from Mum. It’s not fair that I can’t take anything back because you live across the world in New York. Like her miniskirts dating back to the 2000s and a really cute Chanel Wallet bag I had once borrowed and carried everywhere—I’m reclaiming the things you’ve run off with.
Rahul Mishra: You made your international runway debut last year. What did that feel like?
AP: I remember we were discussing whether I should walk or attend your show at Paris Couture Week because the outfit I picked was an intricate 3D piece and I couldn’t sit in it. But once I got to the venue, my nerves kicked in and I practised for two hours with friendly models. I think it comes from having high expectations of myself—I’ll never be able to do something half-heartedly. If I’ve got an opportunity, I have to kill it.
Arpita Mehta: What are your top three Indian looks that come closest to your personality?
AP: The red full-sleeved sari you designed that I wore to the Ambanis’ Ganpati function in 2023 is one for sure. I even messaged you saying that I wanted to get married in this outfit. The second look was a silver sari by Manish [Malhotra]. He was the first designer to put me in one for the IIFA Awards in 2022. The third is my lehenga, blouse and cape set for Rohit Bal’s last show. That was special because my mum had spoken so much about Gudda and his clothes from the ’90s and 2000s.
Navya Nanda: How do you take care of yourself between hectic schedules?
AP: Talking to you is one way. No matter how busy I am, spending time with my friends over a meal or a meme is an immediate cure. I have two group chats: one with Suhana, Shanaya and you, called Ananya’s Fans, and the other with my school friends of 14 years called Oz, named after the first movie we watched together. While I find relatability in friends within the industry, my circle outside has nothing to do with movies and keeps me grounded. Off-duty, I crave more alone time ever since I started living by myself. I hated it initially and made sure my parents were always around. Now I enjoy simple pleasures like reading, watching a movie or spending time with my dog, Riot.
Ami Patel: As someone who grew up with the world watching, how do you define success on your terms?
AP: Honestly, I don’t feel like I grew up that much in front of the world’s eyes because there wasn’t as much social media back then. And when my debut film came out, many people didn’t even know my parents had a grown-up daughter. They said, “Oh, is this Chunky’s daughter?” After I turned 18, I felt the shift of constantly being watched. For me, however cliché it may sound, success is just being happy and finding a balance between home and work.
Head of Editorial Content: Rochelle Pinto
Photographer: Delali Ayivi, Agency: De La Revolucion
Stylist: Samar Rajput
Hair: Umang Thapa, Agency: Anima Creatives
Makeup: Riddhima Sharma Khubchandani
Manicure: Manali Panchal
Bookings Editor: Aliza Fatma
Senior Designer: Shagun Jangid
Entertainment Director: Megha Mehta
Senior. Entertainment Editor (consultant): Rebecca Gonsalves
Set Design: Surabhi Laddha
Production: Imran Khatri Productions
Assisted by: Ankit Raj (Photography); Yamini Ranade (Makeup); Krrish Chavan (Hair); Aditya Singh, Agnes Solhall, Isabela Orozco (Styling); Aashima Chopra (Bookings); Aaliyah Ladhani, Radhika Chemburkar (Production)
This story appears in Vogue India’s March-April 2025 issue, now on stands. Subscribe here.
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