Ananya Panday says she relates to her Gehraiyaan character: 'I have felt betrayal, heartbreak'

Gehraiyaan actors Ananya Panday and Dhairya Karwa talk about relating to their characters in a film on relationships and the challenges of shooting during the pandemic.

Actor Ananya Panday makes no secret of the fact that her upcoming film Gehraiyaan is the most complex subject she has tackled. The Shakun Batra film deals with infidelity and also stars Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, and Dhairya Karwa.

Ananya Panday in a still from her upcoming film Gehraiyaan.

Talking to us about the pressure and the freedom of taking on a complex subject as a young actor, Ananya says, "I think there was pressure from myself because I knew I wanted to be a part of this film but I also didn't want to be unable to do justice to the part and I wanted to work really hard on it. I was ready to learn a lot and take away a lot from Shakun and my co-actors. It started from a place of fear and pressure but I later realised the freedom I got from this process."

Director Shakun Batra described the film as a 'mirror to modern adult relationships'. In a previous interview, the 23-year-old Ananya admitted that most of her relationships were in school. So, did she feel equipped to play a character dealing with more complex relationship issues? The actor laughs at the question and says, "It was something that I haven't experienced before, at least at this level, but I have felt what she has felt. I have had feelings of betrayal, heartbreak and felt cheated on but maybe not in this context. So I think it was all about diving in deeper and transferring those emotions into this context and how maybe Tia would react and not how Ananya would react."

However, Ananya does add that even when you are a teenager, relationship issues bring out the same emotions. "Many of my relationships were in school and at that time you think the world's weight is on your shoulders and every small problem is this huge deal. So if some silly problem happens, you think, 'Oh I have been cheated on'," she says.

While Ananya is feeling the pressure of taking on this complex role so early on in her career, her co-star Dhairya Karwa has had a different journey. The 31-year-old has been around for a while, working on several projects. Despite that, many have referred to him being cast in Gehraiyaan as 'overnight success'. Reacting to it, Dhairya tells us, "I can't mould anyone's thoughts. I can't hold them and make them see the amount of work I have put in. It's really for me. It takes time. Everybody has a different journey. Some get an opportunity early on. For some, it takes time. The pace doesn't matter. Just don't compare it to others."

Ananya Panday and Siddhant Chaturvedi in a still from Gehraiyaan.

The film was shot completely during the pandemic and even saw breaks in schedule as the pandemic worsened. But Dhairya sees it as the light at the end of the tunnel. Talking about how the film gave him hope in such hard times, he says, "This film helped me be hopeful and get through the pandemic. As actors, in such volatile times, you don't know what's next for you and when is it going to happen. For me, I had that sense of security that I had work after this. That hope helped me sail through."

Ananya echoes Dhairya's thoughts but admits that it was tough shooting this film with the restrictions Covid-19 threw at them. She says, "We were one of the first few films to start shooting during the pandemic. It was extremely scary at the start. Everyone was in PPE kits and face shields and masks. It's such an intimate film that it can be a bit throwing off and jarring. Safety is of utmost importance though so we are glad we got out of it safely."

Gehraiyaan will release on Amazon Prime Video on February 11, 2022. The film was initially set to release on January 25 but the date was postponed on January 5. The film is backed by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions and Viacom18 Studios.