Ananya Panday took home the ‘Brand Endorser of the Year (female) at the IAA Leadership Awards 2024 held in Mumbai on 6 August. 

In a conversation with Neeraj Roy, managing director and CEO, Hungama Digital Media, Panday reflected on her journey of building a social media community, how she chooses a brand, and her ‘So Positive’ DSR (digital social responsibility) initiative.

Setting the context of the chat, she talked about how the idea of ‘being herself’ has stayed with her since she started.

She said, “The first brand I signed before signing my first film was Lakme, which I am still associated with. It’s been more than six years that I have been with the brand because I truly feel that it connects with who I am as a person.”

Spotlighting that she only partners with brands that resonate with her personality, Panday added, “When it comes to brands, for me, it’s about something that stands true to my personality, be it Only or Skechers. These are all brands that Gen Z or the younger generation follows. They stand for individuality and having a voice. And it's not just the brand, but every creative and advertisement that goes out with the brand holds that slogan true. For all the brands that I'm associated with, I would like to believe that they're an extension of my personality because I don't want to fake it. I act enough in movies, but if I'm selling something, I want to genuinely believe in that product because I wouldn't think anyone else would buy it if I'm not genuinely using it.” 

Panday then went on to talk about the DSR initiative - ‘So Positive,’ which she launched in 2019. 

She noted, “This is something I started the year my film came out. It speaks about online social responsibility and spreading kindness and general awareness about online bullying and social media etiquette. I started when the digital boom was happening and there was a lot of trolling, negativity and hate being spread, not just towards me, but a lot of people around me. This wasn't just in the entertainment industry, it was across. I feel a lot of things change when you just start a conversation.”

Panday, who was recently seen in the movie Bad Newz, expressed her desire to be a part of a business venture that promotes feminine hygiene. 

She asserted, “For people to believe that you are selling something or you want something, there's no better involvement than putting your sweat into it. That's why a lot of actors even take up sweat equity. A space that I am interested in is feminine hygiene because I feel like that is taboo in our country. People aren't talking about it as much yet. That's a space that I would want to put my effort and sweat in.”

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