EXCLUSIVE: Ananya Panday calls her OTT debut Call Me Bae a mix of THESE iconic characters, shares her experience of doing cameos in Karan Johar films: “I owe everything to that man”

Ananya Panday has been honoured with the Brand Endorser of the Year award at the annual IAA Leadership Awards. During the event, she discussed various aspects of her career with Neeraj Roy, former president of the International Advertising Association (IAA) and a managing committee member of the organization.Approach to Brand Collaborations and Social Media FollowingAnanya Panday shared her approach to brand collaborations and building her social media following from the start of her career. She emphasized the importance of authenticity in her brand choices. "What I thought of when I started out has actually stayed pretty much the same throughout my career. It's very short so far, but it's always been about being myself. For example, the very first brand I signed, before I signed my film, was Lakme, and it's a brand that I'm still associated with. It felt like a very unique fit," she said.Ananya believes that her brand associations should reflect her personality. She added, "Whether it be Only or Skechers, these are all brands that the Gen Z or the younger generation follows, and they really stand for something. They stand for individuality and having a voice."Building a Social Media Presence and the Evolution of ‘So Positive’Discussing her social media presence, Ananya revealed how she amassed nearly 50 million followers and the inception of her digital initiative, ‘So Positive’. "So Positive is actually a digital social responsibility initiative. It started around the time my first film came out, and it speaks about online social responsibility and spreading kindness," she explained.The initiative addresses online bullying and promotes digital responsibility. Ananya recounted, "During COVID, I spoke to people doing good during the pandemic, focusing on positivity. It has grown into a larger sense of kindness."Upcoming Project: "Call Me Bae"Ananya Panday also spoke about her upcoming project, Call Me Bae, which marks her OTT debut. "It's coming on the 6th of September on Amazon Prime. It's a fun comedy, chick flick with a lot of fashion and a little mystery. It's like Clueless meets Schitt's Creek meets Nancy Drew meets Aisha meets Poo from K3G," she described.Evolving Perception of CameosOn the topic of cameos, Ananya reflected on her experience and the evolving perception of such roles. "It was a lot of fun. Cameos are about supporting the fraternity. I grew up watching songs like ‘Deewangi Deewangi’ from Om Shanti Om and wished to do something fun like that," she shared. She further added, “Imagine getting a call from Karan Johar, who wouldn't do it. I owe everything to that man, but I got to do a song in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani with Ranveer Singh, which was amazing. It was a dream come true to be directed by Karan and be in a song with Ranveer, and then my cameo in Bad Newz as well.”Exploring Entrepreneurial OpportunitiesAnanya Panday acknowledged the growing trend of brand ambassadors becoming quasi-entrepreneurs and investing in the brands they represent. Although she hasn't explored this avenue yet, she is open to the idea. "There are a lot of conversations going on about this. Personally, a space that interests me is feminine hygiene, as it is a taboo in our country. I want to put my effort into it," she revealed.Interest in Potential PartnershipsWhen asked about specific product categories or industries she is interested in, Ananya expressed her love for food. "Food is open as of now. I love food and can sell it all day long. I'll put my sweat into it," she said enthusiastically.Also Read: Ananya Panday flaunts her spiritual side as she shares photos from the ‘Shravan Somwar’ pooja at home