Renowned Bharatanatyam and Odissi dance exponent Sonal Mansingh has strongly criticised actor Ananya Panday over her Bharatanatyam fusion performance in Chand Mera Dil, calling it “absolute trash” and “unacceptable”.A clip from the film has gone viral online, showing Ananya Panday’s character performing Bharatanatyam while co-star Lakshya watches in admiration. The film seemingly intended the sequence to present a modern twist, it has sparked a heated debate on social media, with users flooding the Internet with memes and detailed critiques.The Padma Vibhushan awardee expressed concern over what she termed the “degeneration” of creative sensibilities in Hindi cinema. “In our country, we ourselves are responsible, whether it is a Hindi film or a Bollywood. I was just watching a dance of Kamala Lakshman from Raj Kapoor’s Chori Chori. It’s unbelievable. People such as Raj Kapoor and others were inviting proper dancers to perform those so-called item numbers,” she said.Rejecting the “fusion” label attached to the act, she added, “It is absolute trash. And such things should not be going through. Or don’t call it Bharatanatyam. Why put on that dress and all that? Just wear something. Just do whatever you like.” She also welcomed the criticism emerging online over the performance. “I’m very glad to see that there is a backlash, a strong critique. I’m very happy about that. People are awakened, and people are taking action. They are talking about it,” she said.Chand Mera Dil was released in theatres worldwide on May 22.