Anurag Kashyap on Ananya Panday’s growth post Siddhant Chaturvedi’s nepotism comment: Star kids often restricted by parents

In Bollywood, the path for star kids is often a mixed one—while some manage to carve out successful careers, others remain hindered by the stigma of nepotism. Recently, director Anurag Kashyap shared his thoughts on Ananya Panday’s professional growth, especially after Siddhant Chaturvedi openly addressed the issues of privilege and hardship in the industry. Kashyap also mentioned that many children of celebrities struggle to move forward because their parents sometimes unintentionally limit their opportunities.

Favourite Star Kids in the Industry


In an interview with The Juggernaut, when asked about his favorite star kids in the entertainment world, Anurag shared, “Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Ananya, and Ayan Mukerji. There’s Dhanush in the South. There are lots of people, Fahadh Faasil.”

The Wake-Up Call That Changed Ananya Panday

The director praised Ananya's recent performances, attributing her growth to a pivotal moment sparked by Siddhant's candid words. He explained, “I think she has figured out. That one thing that happened long back in an interview when Siddhant Chaturvedi said that ‘Our struggles begin when yours end’, I think she took it very personally. I think something happened, altered inside her, because something about her changed after that.” This stems from a 2019 incident when Ananya described her struggle as simply not being invited to Koffee With Karan. Siddhant responded sharply, saying, “Everyone has their own struggle. The only difference is jahan humare sapne poore hote hain, wahan inka struggle shuru hota hai (their struggle begins where our dreams are fulfilled).”

Ananya’s Bold Career Choices

Kashyap added, “After that, I saw her in CTRL and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan. Something flipped inside her and she found herself or she is on the path to find herself. Whatever it is, she is doing great stuff. She took a risk, she is taking risks and she is quite nature. She experiments and is not playing safe unlike others.”

Parental Restrictions Holding Star Kids Back

Kashyap believes that many star kids are held back in their careers because their parents impose limitations that restrict their growth. “Kids actually are much smarter. More than the kids, I think the parents are not letting the kids be, or make their choices. For the sake of safety, the parental thing kicks in that I know better and I will protect my children and give them a very successful career. That’s where the problem is. Let them go out and do things normally on their own. The problem doesn’t lie with the kids, it lies with their parents,” he concluded.