Ananya Panday: “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”

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?