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Ananya Panday recalls being terrified of Sara Ali Khan’s outspoken nature in school, prompting mixed reactions from fans.
Sara Ali Khan and Ananya Panday on the sets of Koffee With Karan. (Courtesy: Instagram)
Ananya Panday and Sara Ali Khan are two Bollywood stars who’ve managed to defy the cliche that “female actors can never be friends.” Although many assumed they would see each other as rivals, their appearance on Karan Johar’s chat show last year showcased a surprisingly genuine friendship. However, there was a time when things were quite different between them. Ananya recently shared a story about how she used to be terrified of Sara’s bold personality during their school days.
In a recent interview clip that surfaced online, Ananya opened up about her memories of Sara from their school years. “There was always this myth about Sara Ali Khan,” Ananya said, laughing. “I would actually hide from her in school because I used to be terrified. She’s always been ‘muhfat’ (outspoken). Even now, she says whatever’s on her mind, but in school, she was even more ‘muhfat’ and used to really say anything. I’d be like, ‘She’s going to say something about me!’”
Ananya clarified that while Sara didn’t bully her, she also never bothered to remember her name, joking, “She didn’t know what my name was and she didn’t want to know.” Recalling a school play where Sara had the lead role, Ananya mentioned that instead of learning her name, Sara would simply call her “Aye girl, come here.”
The clip has since gone viral, sparking mixed reactions among fans. Some criticised Ananya, accusing her of using the story to gain sympathy or shade Sara. One comment read, “Ananya trying so hard to act all cute but ends up defaming other actors for sympathy.” Meanwhile, other netizens backed Ananya, calling Sara’s behaviour pretentious and stating, “She’s been putting on a ‘goody-goody’ image for too long. Good that her real personality is coming out.”
Professionally, Ananya is currently riding high after the success of her thriller CTRL, while Sara is gearing up for her upcoming film Metro… In Dino.