Vijay Deverakonda and Ananya Panday starrer Liger has been making headlines for sending throngs of fans into a tizzy at its promotional events. The first trailer launch of the film, which took place in Hyderabad, gave rise to a mass euphoria among them as they showered rose petals on the lead cast and erected a larger-than-life poster of Deverakonda to express their love for him. The actors experienced a fan frenzy in Vadodara and recently in Patna too, which led them to be escorted out from the venue.
While South stars are familiar with fans worshipping their favourite heroes, the city tours for Liger are proving to be a rather “crazy” and “overwhelming” experience for Panday. In an exclusive chat with News18, she talks about the frenzy, a phenomenon not very common in Bollywood anymore.
She shares, “I’ve to keep introducing myself everywhere I go because I’m just starting out. Vijay was also doing the same but he slowly realised that people already know him too well. They were chanting his name everywhere!”
Wishing to be at the receiving end of the same kind of affection someday, she says, “I see the love he has been receiving and I’m hopeful that one day I will also probably get it. Growing up, my dad (actor Chunky Panday) has always told me that audience’s love is paramount. I’m realising it now.”
The Gehraiyaan actor adds, “I’m a people pleaser. I want everyone around me to love and like me and have a good experience while watching my films. Receiving that kind of love will be the biggest cherry on the cake.”
Panday believes that many Bollywood actors enjoy a massive fan base and their stardom shouldn’t be compared to stars from the South industries. “Karan (Johar; filmmaker) rightly said at the trailer launch of our film that people have different ways of showing love. Probably in Mumbai, people are used to seeing us actors more frequently as we walk around in the city quite casually. They might go to a restaurant and see us there. Having said that, our Bollywood actors do enjoy that kind of stardom. Look at Shah Rukh (Khan) sir, Salman (Khan) sir, Ranbir (Kapoor) and Ranveer (Singh)! They have an effect on people,” she elaborates.
But she agrees that the aura and enigma surrounding film actors have largely waned away today. The 23-year-old explains, “Because of social media, the audience can see us on their phones and that’s why maybe that sense of mystery is no longer there. They have an easier access to their favourite actors today. But their love will never go away. I just think that there are different ways of expressing it today.”
Liger marks Panday’s first pan-Indian film and she is elated to have been directed by filmmaker Puri Jagannadh, who is known for his commercial entertainers. And she reveals that the fact that he was a part of the film primarily drew her to it. She says, “I’m a huge fan of his brand of cinema. I’ve never met someone with such a clear vision. He knows exactly how the audience is going to react to every single beat in the film. He’s always trying to reinvent and think of what newness he can bring to the table. He’s breathing and living this film. It was such a big learning from me to work with someone who’s so passionate about the process of filmmaking.”
Quiz her if another film with Jagannadh is in the pipeline and she says, “If Puri sir does an action film with a female lead, it will be insane! I will speak to him about casting me (laughs).”
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