As an actress, her launch vehicle was Student Of The Year 2, a glossy campus romance. Her subsequent films, however, have gradually distanced her from that space. Khaali Peeli, Pati Patni Aur Woh, and more recently, Gehraiyaan belong to various genres. The actress reveals to BT that since she started working at 19, she felt a certain sense of disconnect from her friends.

Ananya says, “All my friends were still studying while I was going to work. Back then, I felt disconnected from them. Today, I am back to being with them and I am regaining my balance now. I value the experience of working; nothing teaches you like work does. There’s no textbook in the world that can educate you like your workplace can. While shooting for different films, I made it a point to observe how every department works, how each of it contributes to the larger picture. I learned from each and every one of them. It’s important to be aware of every department and its role to evolve as an actor. I’ve seen how it all contributes to building up a character from paper to reel.”

She further adds, “In these three-four years, I have seen a fair share of success and failure, both personally and professionally. When you start working early, you tend to grow up sooner. I always did have this side to myself and I am just growing into my true self every single day.”