Mumbai, Oct 14

Actress Ananya Panday says people in Bollywood need to stop constantly looking at the West for inspiration, and rather explore stories and talent in India.

"We need to stop imitating the West and looking there for inspiration. We have so many great stories to tell and such great talent to tell it," Ananya said.

The actress, who made her Bollywood debut earlier this year with "Student Of The Year 2", shared her views during a conversation at Jio MAMI Movie Mela with Star.

Janhvi Kapoor, Mrunal Thakur, Radhika Madan and Avinash Tiwary were also a part of the conversation.

About acting, Ananya said she loved the fact that the job allowed her be herself.

"I just feel very comfortable doing what I do. I love that I'm able to be myself," she said, adding that she wanted to do Alia Bhatt's role in "Gully Boy".

However, she finds crying on the screen very hard.

"I used to try and imagine someone I know dying, but it didn't really help. Shah Rukh Khan then advised me to not imagine someone's death, but to imagine my life without that person. That made a big difference. It worked," she added.

The daughter of Chunky Panday believes that "what's meant to be yours will come to you".

"So what if I didn't get a role; a better person got it. I don't let it get me down; I move on," she said.

Talking about the strangest place where she has been spotted and recognised by fans, Ananya said: "Many places -- in the bathroom, in the middle of traffic, in the middle of a shot. Once, while I was shooting, this guy with a camera started running behind me, and the shot that was captured had both of us in the frame."

Ananya Panday: We need to stop imitating the West