WATCH: Ananya Panday declares Fawad, Mahira 'absolute favorites' at IIFA 2024

Bollywood actress Ananya Panday recently made headlines at the IIFA Awards by sharing her admiration for Pakistani actors Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan.

In an interview, Ananya Panday expressed her deep respect for their work, stating, "Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan are two of my absolute favourite Pakistani actors. I admire their work immensely."

Her remarks have garnered attention from both sides of the border, highlighting the cross-border appreciation for acting talents in India and Pakistan.

Ananya's admiration for Mahira Khan runs deep, as she also revealed that she had worked as an assistant director on the Shah Rukh Khan and Mahira Khan-starrer Raees at the age of 16.

While clarifying that her role was that of an unpaid intern, she reflected on how the experience provided her with valuable insights into the inner workings of the film industry.

Despite not receiving compensation for the job, she emphasized how this stint gave her early exposure to the intricacies of filMMAking.

Her debut came in 2019 with Student Of The Year 2, but her time on the set of Raees was crucial in shaping her understanding of the film world.

She remarked that working closely with industry professionals at such a young age had a lasting impact on her career development.

Ananya Panday’s acknowledgment of Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan at the IIFA Awards also underscored the strong cultural ties between India and Pakistan through cinema.

Her praise for the two Pakistani stars resonated with audiences across both nations, reflecting the mutual admiration for actors on either side of the border, even amidst political tensions.

Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, both acclaimed for their work in Pakistani and Indian cinema, have a devoted fan base in India, and Ananya’s admiration for them has only added to the cross-border connection.

Previously, Ananya Panday had been making waves not just with her acting prowess but also with the meaningful themes her projects touched upon.

Speaking at the India Today Mind Rocks Youth Summit 2024, the young actor opened up about how her professional work aligned with her personal values, particularly when it came to women's safety and empowerment.

Though Ananya preferred to stay away from political conversations, she expressed pride in her on-screen projects that highlighted important societal issues.

Without revealing too many details, she hinted at how Call Me Bae tapped into themes that stood up for women.

She reflected on how acting in projects like these allowed her to voice her concerns about women's empowerment in a way she might not have felt comfortable doing publicly.

"It is something that I may not have been fully able to speak about in real life because of various reasons. But, if I could do that through my work, I felt like that also had a large impact," she shared.

Ananya, who made her debut with Student of the Year 2, emphasised the responsibility that came with being in the spotlight, especially in a country where the iNFLuence of pop culture was profound.

"As an actor, I didn't think I would ever do something that went against my beliefs as a human being, because I knew the impact it had on people," she said.