Ananya Panday reveals how Tiger Shroff helped her on SOTY 2 sets; ‘I didn’t know how cameras work’

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Actress Ananya Panday, newcomer in the movie Student Of The Year 2 with Tiger Shroff and Tara Sutaria, has spoken candidly about her initial challenges on set. She confessed that she was clueless about the technical aspects of filmmaking, such as understanding camera operation. Ananya revealed that Tiger Shroff provided invaluable assistance, showing her the ropes during takes, explaining how to adjust her positioning for optimal lighting and hitting her designated spots accurately.

In a conversation with Forbes India, Ananya Panday openly discussed her initial hurdles in the movie industry, admitting that she was unfamiliar with the process when she first entered it. Looking back at her debut film Student Of The Year 2, Ananya revealed that her acting career commenced without any prior formal training or attendance at a film school.

She openly acknowledged her appreciation for the unique journey that led her directly into the film industry from school. Reflecting on this path, she realized the wealth of knowledge she acquired simply by immersing herself in the world of cinema. Over time, her approach to acting has transformed, and she now recognizes the invaluable lessons gleaned during her experiences on set.

As a child, the actress from CTRL shared that she seldom went to her father Chunky Panday’s movie set locations, which caused difficulties for her during the filming of Student Of The Year 2. She reminisced about having a father who was an actor but only getting to see his work on set a few times when she was extremely young.

Her limited experience with filmmaking meant she was unaware of fundamental acting elements like camera functionality, the distinction between wide and close-up shots, and the number of attempts needed for a scene. In simpler terms, she admitted to being uninformed about how cameras operate, what constitutes a wide or close shot, and her misconception that scenes are always filmed in one take with only one type of shot.

As a fervent admirer, I can’t help but share my experience of diving headfirst into the world of acting on the Student of the Year 2 set. Little did I know that this journey would turn into a crash course in technical aspects of filmmaking. Camera angles, lighting, and hitting marks were concepts I was previously oblivious to, but they soon became essential tools in my arsenal as I embraced them as my ‘technical learning’.

In the film, Ananya’s fellow actor, Tiger Shroff, played a crucial role in mentoring her throughout the production. He frequently shifted her between takes to demonstrate how to capture the light and arrange herself optimally for the perfect shot. Even though she hadn’t received formal training, Ananya relished every second of the learning experience.

As a devoted follower, I too can relate to Ananya Panday’s early days in the industry where I found myself heavily relying on my directors, particularly during the initial stages of my career. Just like her, I considered myself more of a ‘director’s actor’, meaning that in my early films such as Student of the Year 2, I would faithfully follow their guidance without hesitation.

Initially, she found herself unsure about sharing her thoughts and felt she had little value to add. However, when she stepped into the role for Gehraiyaan, she came to understand the significance of expressing oneself and actively engaging in the creative process. This realization helped her conquer her initial apprehensions about speaking up.

As an ardent admirer, I wholeheartedly give credit to the remarkable Shakun Batra for empowering me as an actress by fostering my independence. Reflecting upon our journey together, I vividly remember the instances where Shakun inspired me to navigate my own path, elucidating that directors often juggle numerous responsibilities and can’t always hold my hand every step of the way.

Through this experience, she significantly changed her methodology, becoming more focused on processes and self-assured when expressing her ideas. Nowadays, she skillfully combines heeding her superiors’ suggestions with adding her unique insights to the mix, illustrating the tremendous growth in her acting career.

Currently, on the professional side of things, Ananya Panday was recently featured in the OTT series titled CTRL. At present, she’s preparing for her upcoming romantic movie, Chand Mera Dil, where she will be working alongside Lakshya. This film is scheduled to premiere in 2025.

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2025-01-07 14:39