Ananya Panday, Bhumi Pednekar ‘Like’ Zoya Akhtar’s Cryptic Post On ‘Shady’ Industry People

Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar has left the internet buzzing with a cryptic Instagram post that many think might be more than just a quirky fashion statement or an inside joke.

The post features a close-up of a teddy bear wearing a t-shirt with the bold words: “INDUSTRY PEOPLE ARE SHADY”, and her caption reads: “It’s A Sign ”.

The post, which has been liked by celebrities including Ananya Panday, Bhumi Pednekar and Farah Khan, was quickly picked up by Reddit threads, where fans began speculating whether the comment was a tongue-in-cheek jab at someone in the industry — or perhaps a general commentary on the film world’s behind-the-scenes drama.

Zoya, daughter of legendary lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar and sister of actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar, is known for her nuanced storytelling in films like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Gully Boy, among others.

Was it just a harmless joke, a quirky tee on a teddy bear that made her laugh—or is there something more brewing behind the scenes in Bollywood? For now, fans are decoding every possible angle on Reddit. “This shirt has more authenticity than half the industry,” read one comment. Another read, “You’re not shady but you are a hypocrite after casting mediocre star kids and going against the very fabric of your debut film.”

Not long back, Zoya Akhtar spoke about the online bullying that the young actors of her film The Archies faced. On Komal Nahta’s Game Changers podcast, she accepted responsibility for the backlash and said it was her job to support the actors. She also shared that she felt sorry for the harsh criticism they received.

The Archies marked the acting debut of three star kids: Agastya Nanda (Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson), Suhana Khan (Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter), and Khushi Kapoor (late Sridevi’s younger daughter). After the movie came out in 2023, all three were heavily criticised online. When asked if the audience tends to be overly critical of newcomers, Zoya said, “I think the audience is harsh with certain newcomers, not with all newcomers.”