Ishaan Khatter's mom Neliima Azeem calls Ananya Panday part of 'family circle' and 'an important part' of his life

Neliima Azeem has opened up about Ananya Panday and the actor's bond with her son Ishaan Khatter. Neliima said that Ananya, who is rumoured to be dating Ishaan Khatter, has become a part of their inner circle. Ishaan and Ananya, who worked together in the 2020 film Khaali Peeli, have never confirmed their relationship status. This is the first time that Neliima has commented on the equation between the two actors. Also Read: Ishaan Khatter keeps Ananya Panday close at Shahid Kapoor's birthday bash

Neliima had recently reacted with a "wooo" and a fire emoji when Ananya posted a picture of herself dressed in a sheer black dress for the Hello Awards. Ananya was also recently spotted at birthday celebrations of Neliima's eldest son Shahid Kapoor.

Asked about her bond with Ananya Panday, Neliima told India Today that the actor has even learned dancing from her. She added, "She is a part of our inner circle and family circle. She is a good friend of Shahid (Kapoor) and Mira (Rajput). And obviously, she is an important part of Ishaan's life. I would say that they are great buddies and good companions. With his friends also, she fits in very well."

Neliima also praised the acting skills of Ananya and applauded her work in the recently-released film Gehraiyaan, which also starred Siddhant Chaturvedi, Deepika Padukone, and Dhairya Karwa. The actor said, "As far as I am concerned, I think that she always showed talent from the time she came. But with Gehraiyaan, she has come shining through. Not only me but everyone is appreciating her talent and her realistic, intelligent performance. She has been highly appreciated in Gehraiyaan. I am very happy about it."

Ananya for her part had given a cheeky answer when asked about her relationship status. In a chat with Bollywood Bubble, the actor was posed a question by a fan who wanted to know if she is single. In response, she pretended not to hear the question even as it was repeated. "I can't hear this question," she said.