In the glamorous world of Bollywood, actors often face more than just the pressures of stardom—negativity, envy, and the 'evil eye' are considered real concerns by many. Actress Ananya Panday, known for her youthful charm and relatable persona, recently opened up about how she shields herself from negativity, revealing an interesting yet common practice in Indian households.
In an interview promoting her latest film CTRL, which debuted on Netflix on October 4, 2024, Ananya shared her weekly ritual for warding off the 'nazar' (evil eye), a superstition many in India believe can bring bad luck or negativity. According to Ananya, her household help performs the traditional 'mirchi' (chili) ritual on her every week.
The 'mirchi' ritual is widely practised in Indian homes to ward off the evil eye. As Ananya explained, it involves rotating red chillies around a person and then burning them. If the chillies emit a strong smell or burn excessively, it's believed the person has been affected by nazar. While Ananya admits she doesn’t know the science behind the ritual, she stands by its effectiveness. 'I don’t know the science behind it,' she said in a video posted on Netflix India’s YouTube channel, but continues the practice as a way of keeping negativity at bay.
Along with the 'mirchi' ritual, Ananya also follows another age-old custom—wearing a 'kaala teeka,' or a black dot, behind her ear. Mothers or older women typically do this in the family to shield their loved ones from negative energy. Ananya shared how her mother, Bhavana Panday, takes this extra precaution for her: 'My mom put two black dots behind my ear before I came here. Everyone thinks I don't shower or have something dirty behind my ear, but my mom keeps putting it repeatedly.'
This superstition of the 'kaala teeka' stems from a belief that a black mark wards off evil intentions or ill will directed at a person, especially one who is in the public eye.
While Ananya Panday’s disclosure of her weekly nazar rituals might seem rooted in tradition, her Netflix film CTRL explores a thoroughly modern problem—our relationship with technology. Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, CTRL dives into the world of AI and social media, blurring the line between our real and online identities. Ananya plays Nella, a woman whose life spirals out of control after using an AI program called 'Control Your Life' to erase her ex-boyfriend from her life, only to find that the app takes her wish too literally.
The film taps into the growing anxiety around technology, social media, and how much control we have over our lives when algorithms and apps dominate so much of our daily experience. As Nella’s relationship with her ex-boyfriend Joe (played by Vihaan Samat) deteriorates, she makes a seemingly innocent wish through the CTRL app. What follows is a chilling exploration of how even digital actions can have real-world consequences.
Reflecting on her role as Nella, Ananya said in an interview, 'My character Nella is like any of us. She's caught up in a world dominated by technology and social media. CTRL explores how we navigate the fine line between our online presence and who we are in real life.'
Ananya’s comments resonate deeply with today’s generation, as the film delves into the complexities of living in a digital age where a person’s identity can be manipulated and controlled by outside forces—be they social media algorithms or AI-powered apps.
Interestingly, the duality of Ananya Panday's revelations presents an intriguing contrast. On one hand, she follows traditional Indian customs to protect herself from intangible negative forces through household rituals like the 'mirchi' and 'kaala teeka.' On the other hand, her latest role in CTRL shows the dangers of living in an increasingly digitized world where control and autonomy are constantly under threat.
In an era where the ancient and the modern collide, Ananya Panday stands at the intersection of both, navigating superstitions passed down through generations while grappling with the perils of digital technology in her on-screen life.
While practices like the 'mirchi' ritual and 'kaala teeka' may seem odd or superstitious to some, for many Indians, these rituals are a blend of culture, tradition, and personal belief. Whether you’re a celebrity like Ananya Panday or an ordinary person, warding off negativity and bad vibes through these simple household methods offers a comforting way to feel protected in an unpredictable world.
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Akanksha Sinha
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