Vidya Balan On Taking Break from Acting: ‘I'm Shamelessly Optimistic'

News18

22-07-2025

Vidya Balan is on a break, reading scripts, planning two films. Her last film, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, was a hit. She will next appear in Raja Shivaji, releasing May 1.
Vidya Balan is currently on a break from acting and she's completely at ease with it. In a recent chat with The Hollywood Reporter India, the actor spoke about taking time off and how she doesn't feel insecure about not being in the spotlight.
'For the first time in my life, I am not experiencing stress," Vidya said. 'Knowingly or unknowingly, we go through a lot of stress. I am enjoying this period. I am reading scripts, meeting people, and I have decided on two films. Unfortunately, I am not able to talk about it right now."
Even though she's away from the screen, she's confident that she's on the right path. 'I think I am shamelessly optimistic. I have so much self-belief. I have put myself out there at my biggest and not batted an eyelid," she said. 'I've had people tell me I should work on myself, that I should shed weight. But I actually believe there is nothing wrong with me."
She added that she never let such comments affect her. 'I was still playing the lead, so I don't think those kinds of insecurities have ever weighed me down."
Vidya was last seen in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (2024) alongside Kartik Aaryan and Madhuri Dixit. The film was a massive hit, earning over Rs 400 crore at the box office. Before that, she starred in Do Aur Do Pyaar with Pratik Gandhi, Ileana D'Cruz, and Sendhil Ramamurthy, which also received positive reviews.
Up next, Vidya will be seen in Raja Shivaji, a historical drama directed by Riteish Deshmukh. The film, based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, also stars Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, and Genelia D'Souza and will release on May 1 next year.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Vidya confirmed, 'Yes, I just finished shooting for it. It's a film on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and I was amazed throughout the process." Reflecting on her experience with Riteish Deshmukh as a director, she added, 'I had previously worked with Riteish as a co-actor in Heyy Babyy (2007), and we've all seen how brilliant his comic timing is. But as a director, he completely surprised me."
First Published:
July 22, 2025, 20:55 IST
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