Why Ananya Panday? What Makes a Bollywood Star the Right Voice to Teach Kindness in Indian Classrooms?

"She’s Just Like Us" And That’s the Point

On a screen in a modest classroom, Ananya Panday appears not in couture or character, but in casual clothes, speaking to a group of children about something most adults still struggle with: how to be kind to yourself when the world isn’t.

It’s not a scene you expect from one of Bollywood’s most followed young stars. But in this moment, Ananya isn’t acting. She’s reflecting. Sharing. And gently guiding children through a lesson that asks them to turn inward; through words, colours, and questions that don’t have a ‘right’ answer.

This is part of the “So Kind ARTed” curriculum, a 6-module kindness education program launched in partnership with Slam Out Loud.

This isn’t a promotional cameo. Ananya is teaching. But more importantly, she’s relating. And in a country where children are rarely asked how they feel, the significance of this moment goes far beyond celebrity.

The Obvious Question: But Is She the Right Voice?

It’s a fair question.
Why Ananya Panday?
Why a Bollywood actor with no formal background in education or psychology?

Some critics may see this as classic PR: a celebrity-led feel-good campaign to check the social impact box.
Others might argue that emotional education should be led by experts, not entertainers.

But to dismiss her role on face value is to miss what this generation of children actually needs.

Because today’s 9–15 year olds don’t respond to textbook authority. They connect with people who feel real. People they’ve seen vulnerable. People who’ve walked through criticism and come out softer not sharper.

That’s where Ananya lands differently.

From Star Kid to Soft-Spoken Guide

Ananya Panday’s early career has been a masterclass in public perception. Born into a film family, she entered the industry with expectation and entitlement pinned to her name. The backlash was swift. The trolling was brutal.

Instead of denying it, she leaned in.

She launched a digital initiative around cyberbullying. She spoke candidly in interviews about the emotional toll of judgment. She began to shift the tone not with defiance, but with dialogue.

This track record of vulnerability, especially in the social media age, is what gives her emotional credibility in this new role. She's not teaching from a pedestal. She's teaching from experience and children can feel that.

Four Reasons She’s the Right Fit—for Right Now

1. She’s Relatable
Young children and teens already know her. But more importantly, they’ve seen her grow—awkwardly, openly, and without polished filters.

2. She Models Soft Power
In an era where toughness is often glorified, Ananya is choosing softness. She makes space for feelings, for imperfection, for gentle assertion. That’s rare.

3. She Participates, Not Performs
Watch her modules in the So Kind ARTed series, and you’ll see: she’s not preaching kindness. She’s exploring it with curiosity, not control.

4. She Bridges Culture and Curriculum
Let’s be honest: art-based emotional learning doesn’t scale easily. But when a pop culture figure brings visibility to it, schools, parents, and policymakers listen. She’s a bridge—and bridges are how movements begin.

Now Let’s Be Honest: Do All Kids Really Relate to Her?

Not every 9-year-old in India may follow Ananya Panday or even fully register who she is. But that’s not the point.

Her presence isn’t about stardom. It’s about softness, familiarity, and being a bridge between structured education and cultural relevance.

For older children and teens, she’s a known name who’s been publicly vulnerable. For tweens on the younger end of that 9–15 range, she’s an emotionally neutral figure who doesn’t intimidate and that, too, is powerful.

The Slam Out Loud Effect

Of course, no movement is built by one person. Ananya’s presence would feel shallow if not for the depth of the organization she’s partnered with: Slam Out Loud.

With years of experience using the arts to foster emotional and social development in underserved communities, Slam Out Loud brings legitimacy, structure, and long-term strategy to the kindness curriculum. Their Jijivisha Fellowship and Arts for All programs are already reaching over 2.5 lakh children across India.

In this partnership, Ananya isn’t the hero, she's a carrier. And that’s precisely why it works.

The Bigger Picture: Rethinking Role Models

In Indian parenting culture, we often look to experts for knowledge, but rarely to artists for wisdom. Yet some of the most profound emotional learning happens through stories, songs, paintings and people who move us.

Ananya Panday may not be a psychologist. But she’s a cultural signal. And in choosing to show up not as a celebrity, but as a co-learner, she’s offering something rare to India’s children: an invitation to feel, express, and connect.

Closing Thought: Not Just a Face A Force

Maybe that’s what makes this partnership worth paying attention to. Not because it’s flawless. But because it’s formative.

We need more youth icons who use their platform to make emotional literacy cool.
We need celebrities who don’t sell perfection but practice presence.

And maybe, just maybe, kindness needs a familiar face to become part of India’s classroom vocabulary.

This time, that face is Ananya Panday’s. And it just might be the soft revolution we didn’t see coming.

—

At Mapabear, we believe parenting is not just about raising children but reshaping culture. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this special series, where we take you inside the kindness curriculum itself: how it works, what it teaches, and why it’s changing classrooms across India.

Follow Mapabear for more real stories, reimagined futures.