Ananya Panday is currently one of the most popular actresses in Bollywood. Despite an underwhelming debut in Student of the Year 2, she has steadily carved a niche for herself, winning praise for her performances in Call Me Bae and CTRL, which showcased her growth as a promising actor. The actress recently opened up about the man who has been a constant guiding light in her life: Bollywood’s Badshah, Shah Rukh Khan.
Ananya Panday shares the influence of Shah Rukh Khan in her life
In a recent interview with Bombay Times, Ananya expressed how she had the privilege of witnessing Shah Rukh Khan’s parenting up close. The Kesari Chapter 2 actress reminisced about growing up in Mannat’s warm and welcoming environment, where SRK would often take on the role of mentor, motivator, and coach, training them for sports day and taekwondo competitions. She said:
“While growing up, I saw firsthand what an amazing father he is to Aryan, Suhana and AbRam and the way he’s been with all of us. He would train us all for our sports day and taekwondo competitions. He was very, very present in what was happening in our lives.”
Even today, Ananya says the King of Bollywood hasn’t changed. He still makes sure to remain involved in her life, keeping himself updated about what she is doing. His charming presence and the quality of making everyone feel special are what make him different from any other person in the industry. In Ananya’s words:
“Even now, he wants to know what we’re doing and is very involved. Also, when he is talking to you, he has this quality of making you feel that you are the only person in the world. There is no one like him.”
SRK has been a father figure to Ananya Panday
Ananya Panday’s bond with Shah Rukh dates back to her childhood days. The actress has been a longtime friend of Suhana Khan, and they are often seen sitting together in the stands during matches. Back in 2019, she called him her ‘second dad’ in an interview with the Asian Age.
During a candid chat with Siddharth Kannan, Ananya’s mother and Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives fame, Bhavana Pandey, talked about Shah Rukh Khan’s influence on her kids’ lives. The Khan family is one of the closest friends of Bhavana and Chunky Panday, and their daughters, Ananya and Rysa Panday, have found a father figure in the global star. Talking about Shah Rukh’s lasting impression on her daughters, Bhavana shared:
“There’s so much to learn from him. And I am actually very glad that the children spent so much time around him. Because it’s not about being Shah Rukh Khan, it’s how he has been as a father to Suhana, Aryan and now AbRam. And how he has been with my children. It’s been amazing… Whatever free time he had, he wanted to train them… Sports, running, football, he used to do all the sports with the kids… Shah Rukh taught them the art of being competitive in a healthy manner… he used to always take their side over Aryan and the boys.”
On the professional front, Ananya received praise for her work in Kesari Chapter 2 alongside Akshay Kumar and R Madhavan. She is next set to appear opposite Kartik Aaryan in Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri. Meanwhile, Shah Rukh Khan is gearing up for King, a highly anticipated film in which he will share the screen with his daughter, Suhana Khan.
What do you think about the parental bond of Shah Rukh Khan with Ananya Panday?
Next Read: Alia Bhatt Sends Love And Gifts To Ex, Sidharth’s Pregnant Wife, Kiara Advani, Pens, ‘You Deserve..’