Bhavana Pandey on daughter Ananya Panday’s link-up rumours: It doesn’t bother me, she has chosen this life for herself

In response to Ananya Pandey’s link-up rumors, the actor’s mother Bhavana Pandey says that while it used to bother her, she has now learned to accept it as part of what her daughter does (her profession).

“People will have both positive and negative things to say, but I have become very relaxed and content now. Ananya as well as Chunky (Pandey) have decided to put themselves in front of the camera...be out there and get judged. And they are well aware of what comes with being who they are. However, if anything is said about my younger daughter (Rysa), it would definitely affect me because she has not chosen it,” she explains, adding, “I strongly feel that good outweighs everything else. So overall, I feel much more relaxed and content now.” 

Bhavana says that as a mother, she often tells Ananya a lot of things, and what to do and what not to do to avoid controversies is just a part of it.

“I tell her even the smallest of things, like comb your hair or wear ironed clothes, as a mother. But I know Ananya is a very smart and intelligent girl who knows how to handle herself. When she joined the industry, she was 18 or 19 years old, and that’s the age when maximum learning happens. That’s the age when you make most mistakes, you learn, and you grow. She has done all that while being in the public eye. She has literally grown up in front of the camera. Considering all that, I believe she is doing great and as parents, I and Chunky feel proud of her,” says Bhavana, who recently was seen in the second season of Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives.

Talking about her growth over the two seasons and becoming a celebrity herself after the show’s success, Bhavana says, “Recognition and everything else is fun and makes you feel good, but internally I feel happier than I was. When I did the first season, I was very apprehensive. I did not know how the show would turn out and how people would take to it. We obviously knew not everyone would love it. But the whole idea that everyone will be watching it, and having an opinion on it has been amazing.”

Bhavana says she knows of so many people who met for coffee and lunch and even created WhatsApp groups to chat about the show. “But the love from people outweighed everything bad that was said about the show. Moreover, we can’t expect everyone to love it. It has to have mixed opinions...mixed reviews. It should become a topic of discussion, and people should argue about it because only then will it become a hit show. So, love us, hate us, don’t ignore us,” she wraps up.