Ananya Panday Advocates for Female Friendships in Media: Breaking the Stereotypes

Actor Ananya Panday emphasizes the importance of supportive female friendships in the entertainment industry, contrasting the prevalent narrative of rivalry. Speaking at Prime Video's Maitri: Female First Collective, she highlighted the need for public displays of support among women and emphasized the role of men in combating sexism.

Actor Ananya Panday is challenging the entertainment industry's tendency to pit women against each other by advocating for supportive female friendships. At Prime Video's Maitri: Female First Collective, Panday discussed how she, along with contemporaries Sara Ali Khan and Jahnvi Kapoor, publicly support each other's work.

'They keep pitting women against each other, actresses against actresses,' Panday noted. 'With Sara and Jahnvi, we constantly try to be there for each other and support each other very publicly.' Panday, known for roles in 'Gehraiyaan' and 'Dream Girl 2,' stressed that seeing positive change fuels her advocacy.

During the session, attended by personalities such as Smriti Kiran and journalist Faye D’Souza, actor Kritika Kamra added that men should call out sexism in male-dominated spaces. Launched in 2022, Maitri aims to create a safe space for women in Indian media and promote a positive shift in the industry.

(With inputs from agencies.)