Actress Ananya Panday opens about Imposter Syndrome: “I feel like a third person”

Ananya Panday

Bollywood actress Ananya Panday recently opened up about her struggles with imposter syndrome and the challenges of navigating the world of showbiz.

In a candid interview with News18 Showsha, she revealed that despite her fame, she often feels disconnected from her own identity, especially when her name is mentioned. "My imposter syndrome comes from something as simple as when someone says my name. During interviews and stuff, I feel like my name isn’t really mine, and it makes me feel like a third person. That pushes me to suddenly become like someone else. When I see myself on a billboard, I feel like it’s not me that I’m looking at. The same thing happens when I watch one of my films. I watch them like an audience member and forget that it’s actually me on screen." she explained

Ananya attributed her constant need for validation to her self-critical nature. "I constantly need validation because I’m very hard on myself. Even when a director okays my shot, I’m never happy with it. I always feel like I could’ve done it better." she admitted.

"If it were up to me, I’d reshoot everything all the time because I know I can always improve," she stated. This desire for approval is compounded by the pressures of social media, which can amplify her insecurities.

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She shared that her mood fluctuates based on social media feedback. "Some days, I read something negative, and I’m not affected by it. Other days, I keep thinking about how one person on Instagram said I suck, and I start to believe that I might actually suck. This happens more when I’m already having a bad day on set, where I’m struggling with a shot. It’s strange how social media can stay in your mind and impact you in bad ways"

Despite these struggles, Ananya has been making strides in her career, with recent projects like Kho Gaye Hum Kahan and Call Me Bae receiving critical acclaim. These successes have helped her regain confidence in her artistic choices. "It makes me feel good about the choices I’m making" she remarked.

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Ananya also reflected on the initial skepticism she faced for choosing to work on OTT projects early in her career. "People questioned my decision to do a series and discouraged me from taking on too many OTT projects early in my career. That made me wonder, what if the audience doesn’t watch them? But now, with these successes, I feel reassured that I’m on the right path, working with good people, and that it’s all paying off. I don’t worry about where my career is headed because I trust that all my decisions will, hopefully, pay off in the end." she concluded.

As she looks forward to her upcoming Netflix project, CTRL, a cyber-thriller directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, Ananya continues to embrace her journey, acknowledging both the highs and lows of being in the spotlight.