As sparkling as the film world looks from the outside, it is an exhausting profession. The current generation feels this more than ever in the age of social media, where turning a molehill into a mountain takes only seconds.
Two actors who have been in the same ‘daldal‘ since their debuts, and recently plunged deeper into this bottomless pit of judgment, backlash, and scrutiny, are the internet’s favourite ‘nepo-kids’ – Janhvi Kapoor and Ananya Panday.
Having debuted a year apart, Janhvi Kapoor and Ananya Panday have borne both the boon and the bane of their families’ film legacies from the start of their careers.
Janhvi Kapoor in Dhadak (L) Ananya Panday in Student of the Year 2 (R)
While Janhvi Kapoor has frequently been compared to her late mother, the legendary Sridevi, Ananya Panday has faced merciless trolling over comments about being a ‘struggling actor’. From interview clips to memes, social media cannot keep calm – whether about the former’s performances or the latter’s dialogue delivery.
The two were recently at the centre of fresh controversy for two separate films, for different reasons.
The ‘Male Gaze’ Syndrome Ft. Janhvi Kapoor
Janhvi Kapoor is currently wading through a stirring Peddi controversy, and the internet is divided over her ordeal.
The recent Telugu film Peddi, led by Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor, faced intense audience backlash for hyper-sexualising her role as Achiyyamma. Critics pointed to disrespectful camera angles and heavy objectification, with a persistent focus on her midriff and chest.
Janhvi Kapoor in Peddi
Viewers called out the lack of character depth for Janhvi Kapoor, who at this point seems to have been used as eye candy in a male-dominated spectacle. Audiences were unhappy with the constant focus and close-up shots of her, including a scene where Ram Charan’s character compliments her facial features. One scene that sparked particular outrage showed the male lead kissing her without consent, raising concerns about women’s agency.
Some have criticised Janhvi Kapoor for choosing projects where the problem lies with the male gaze. Despite her appearances in content-driven films such as Mili and Gunjan Saxena, critics say she again ends up as a ‘prop’ in Peddi.
However, many in the industry believe the actress cannot be blamed and place responsibility on the filmmakers. From Jaya Bachchan to Kangana Ranaut, voices have argued that the onus lies with directors and producers to make the right creative calls, and that sensuality should not be reduced to mere skin-showing.
Janhvi Kapoor’s co-star Jagapathi Babu and members of her crew have defended her, saying personal attacks and causing mental distress are unjust.
The issue escalated when eagle-eyed users spotted Janhvi Kapoor liking a post that called Peddi “the most expensive disrespect ever paid to a leading woman in Indian cinema”.
Director Buchi Babu Sana issued a public apology and said the ‘controversial scenes’ have been removed. That prompted further questions: if those scenes were removable, why were they included in the first place?
As a filmmaker, I believe cinema should entertain, inspire, and connect with audiences. It should never make anyone feel uncomfortable or disrespected. We have heard the feedback regarding certain scenes in Peddi and have taken it seriously.
I have always had immense respect for…
— BuchiBabuSana (@BuchiBabuSana) June 6, 2026
Janhvi Kapoor’s brush with the male-gaze controversy is not new. Viewers raised similar concerns with her Telugu debut Devara: Part 1 opposite Jr NTR, where they felt the focus was more on her physical attributes than on what her character added to the narrative.
Janhvi Kapoor in Devara: Part 1
It’s not that Janhvi Kapoor hasn’t experimented – she has changed gears with films such as Gunjan Saxena, Mili and Ulajh – yet the audience often fixates on her appearance rather than her craft. She has been labelled everything from ‘Nepotism ki bacchi‘ to ‘plastic’ for alleged cosmetic procedures; the conversation frequently centres on how she looks, not what she does.
With Peddi, the debate has intensified, and once again it’s not Janhvi Kapoor’s acting that is being discussed.
Back To Square One For Ananya Panday
Over the past couple of years, Ananya Panday managed to take small but steady steps and carve a place in audiences’ hearts with convincing roles in Kho Gaye Hum Kahan and CTRL. Both critical appreciation and box-office satisfaction followed. However, a misjudged sequence in her recent Dharma film Chand Mera Dil, co-starring Lakshya, plunged her back into a wave of trolling.
A 15-second clip from the film went viral, showing Ananya Panday performing a modern fusion of Bharatanatyam and hip-hop during a college cultural fest. Many found it disrespectful to the classical dance form, calling the performance robotic and stiff. Dance enthusiasts and politicians were particularly incensed, while the clip became meme fodder. Comments ranged from mocking her expressions to absurd claims that she was AI-generated. One comment read, “Bharatanatyam originated in 200 BCE and ended with Ananya Panday in 2026.”
Once again, the focus shifted away from the film and onto Ananya Panday, not for the right reasons. The trolling stole the limelight.
Ananya Panday is no stranger to online backlash. Since her 2019 debut in Student of the Year 2, she has been repeatedly called out as a star kid with subpar acting. Before Chand Mera Dil, controversies about ‘struggle’ and nepotism dominated headlines; she was even mockingly nicknamed ‘Struggle Panday’.
Even after proving her range in films such as Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, Gehraiyaan and CTRL, the cycle has returned to what the internet does best: trolling.
Ananya Panday in Kho Gaye Hum Kahan
Both actresses have largely remained silent amid the controversies. Until the uproar dies down, here’s hoping their next projects will shift the spotlight back to their craft and growth as new-generation actresses.
ALSO READ | There’s More To Peddi Backlash Than Janhvi Kapoor’s Objectification
