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Time of India
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Exclusive! Vidya Balan on 20 years in Hindi cinema: I don't think I was a game-changer, I don't carry that baggage
Vidya Balan The world may hail her as a game-changer, a sherni who roared her way through Bollywood's rulebook — but Vidya Balan doesn't see it that way. Twenty years in Hindi cinema, and she is still dancing to her own rhythm. The actor, who defied norms, wants to be free of those tags and labels – free of that baggage. There's a newfound lightness about her, yet she's just as fiercely passionate about her craft as she was two decades ago. In this deeply personal interview with us, she talks about her inner battles, her evolution shaped by heartbreak and healing – and all the joy that went into it. If you could relive one moment from your 20-year journey in Hindi cinema, which one would it be? The premiere of Parineeta in Amsterdam. I don't remember watching the film, as that memory is a blur. It's like your wedding day ( laughs ). What I remember is standing up on that stage along with the cast and looking at the world. It was a full house. It was something about that moment – this is what I had always wanted. I didn't know if there was a road ahead, but I felt I had reached the summit. That moment has stayed with me. It's like I walked up with my back to the audience, and when I turned to the world, my world had changed. Vidya Balan played a range of characters in films like Kahaani, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, The Dirty Picture, Parineeta and Tumhari Sulu In your early days, how did you deal with stereotypes and industry expectations of how an actress should be? You've never been apologetic about the characters you've played – whether it was flawed, sensual, loud or silent. How did you stay so true to your choices? I don't think I did anything consciously. It's just the way I am made. I am shamelessly accepting of my dreams and aspirations. I don't think anything was stopping me from being a conventional heroine. Also, I never thought of myself as unconventional and different – these were the tags given to me. I wanted to be like all the actresses I had admired over the years. With every opportunity I got, I made the most of it – whether it was Guru with Mani Ratnam , Halla Bol with Rajkumar Santoshi or Salaam-E-Ishq with Nikkhil Advani. I played the lead in these films, but they were all different. That is who I am and that began to find expression. When there is success, you are okay being seen for who you are. There are two films where I feel I didn't do my best – Heyy Baby y and Kismat Konnection . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Wien: Hansaton sucht 250 Testhörer vor 1972 geboren Hansaton Jetzt anmelden Undo People enjoyed those films, but I got a lot of criticism for it. Vidya Balan's first photoshoot with Bombay Times It must have been shattering at that point. Would you say there were many such breaking points in your career, from where you had to rebuild your confidence, renew your spirit and rise again? It happened at various points. After The Dirty Picture and Kahaani , many of my films didn't work and I was going through a persecution complex. I felt everyone was out to get me. I began to assume a certain kind of self-importance thinking everyone was talking about me. Everyone is not talking about you, but you feel that because you are only looking at yourself. I thought, why is my dressing such a problem? Today, when I look back, yes, it was a huge problem, as I was not doing anything that I liked doing. I am so grateful for that period, those films, the criticism, the nasty things that people said and the humiliating experiences – it made me realise what is the kind of work I want to do. Who am I really? I slowly started embracing myself. It was tough and it came with a lot of heartbreak. I feel my father has given me a certain fearlessness to be myself and my mom has given me faith and that has taken me a long way. When did the feeling of being comfortable with who you are — your work, your body — finally come in? After The Dirty Picture, I was going through some health issues and the weight kept going up. I had also got married, so people thought that I was taking it easy. Every few months, there'd be a rumour that I was pregnant. I wanted to be invisible in those days, and that is a horrible place to be in. I was at my lowest professionally and personally because of the way I was viewing myself. I've been with a healer for the past 14 years, and that has been a huge help. It is a lifelong process. I feel now everyone goes through it and a lot more. At that point, I felt that I was being singled out and judged for everything. Today, I am more in touch with who I am. If you met the Vidya of 2005 today, the Vidya who was on the cusp of becoming a star, what would you tell her? I would say don't try too hard. I've spent a lot of time trying too hard. Be yourself and go with the flow. Don't think of where, what, when and how it will happen. It will all happen. Deep down, even I knew that, yet I needed life to teach me that through my journey. Siddharth Roy Kapur and Vidya Balan on their wedding day In 2012, when your career was soaring, you married Siddharth (Roy Kapur) — despite having once said that marriage wasn't really on the cards. Thirteen years in, has the experience changed your perspective? Yes, I didn't want to get married at all. Even today I don't think partnerships are easy and I don't think marriage is easy. But the fact that we both are from the industry is a blessing, because if anyone can understand our work and life, it is people from the same business. Now I've come to understand that marriage is always work in progress, it's learning, unlearning, relearning and growing together. Siddharth and I never give each other advice, but we are fully supportive of each other and respect how passionate we are about what we do. I feel blessed to have a partner who lets me be. He is my anchor. Your perspective on marriage has changed, but what were the beliefs or fears that made you resist it initially? Earlier, I could never see myself getting married because I felt marriage was about domestication. I often wondered who my mother would have been if she hadn't been married. I don't know if she wondered that though. I always felt ki mujhe shaadi nahin karni hai. Also, I have always wanted to be better than the boys, so a long partnership with a boy seemed impossible. Come to think of it, maybe I never competed with the girls because I always thought the boys were my real competition. At the gym, I would lift heavier weights than the boys. We are two sisters, and I do think that my mom subconsciously wanted a boy, as she already had a girl. In our extended family, there were mostly girls, so the ones with boys were given that much more importance. These are very subconscious things, and I picked up on all those cues and I thought I will be better than the boys. Maybe that explains my career, too, in a way… don't you think? Perhaps, a lot of my hormonal issues were an outcome of this rejection of the feminine part of me and I fought it, as I wanted to constantly prove that I was better than the boys. But marriage has allowed me to accept that side of me. Maybe, it has made me realise that I'm not lesser and don't need to be better than the boys to be good enough. I'm good enough just being me…wholly me!
NDTV
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
How John Abraham Rescued Vidya Balan From Akshaye Khanna On The Sets Of Salaam-E-Ishq
New Delhi: Vidya Balan recently attended the Bollywood Hungama Style Icons Summit, where she recalled a funny incident from the sets of Salaam-E-Ishq. The actress had worked with John Abraham and Akshaye Khanna in the film, along with other A-listers such as Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Anil Kapoor, and Juhi Chawla to name a few. The Kahaani actress spoke about how she had to ask John Abraham for help, as she had to face Akshaye Khanna on set after rejecting a film with him. What's Happening Vidya Balan revealed a hilarious incident from the sets of Salaam-E-Ishq at the recent Bollywood Hungama Style Icons Summit. The actress spoke about what led to her fear of meeting Akshaye Khanna on the sets of the film. Vidya said, "There was a film offered to me opposite Akshaye Khanna, and for some reason, I didn't connect with the script. But I didn't pick up the phone and tell him that. I asked my manager to convey it to the director." She added, "And then I met Akshaye on the sets of Salaam-E-Ishq. And he fired me. He was like 'Why didn't you tell me you didn't want to do the film?' I went up to John [Abraham] and said, 'Can you please save me?' Because I was so new, I didn't want any confrontation. I didn't want to hurt anyone or make anyone feel bad, or just feel like I was refusing a film with them. But of course, he was only pulling my leg. I later realized." About Salaam-E-Ishq Nikkhil Advani's Salaam-E-Ishq is a romantic drama, which brings together six love stories and then follows the meandering relationships of the people within it. Work Vidya Balan was last seen in the blockbuster Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 with Kartik Aaryan, Madhuri Dixit and Triptii Dimri. She also did Do Aur Do Pyaar with Pratik Gandhi, Ileana D'Cruz and Sendhil Ramamurthy. In A Nutshell Vidya Balan revealed how she was scared of confronting Akshaye Khanna on the sets of Salaam-E-Ishq, after rejecting a film with him before. She explained how she asked help from John Abraham.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Akshaye Khanna fired me!,' Vidya Balan recalls an awkward first meeting after rejecting a film opposite him; went to John Abraham for help
Bollywood star Vidya Balan recently revisited an amusing yet awkward memory from her early days in the film industry. Speaking at the Bollywood Hungama Style Icons Summit, the powerhouse performer candidly revealed how she once turned down a film opposite Akshaye Khanna—and didn't have the courage to tell him herself! The 'Kahaani' actress shared that she didn't connect with the script and decided to back out of the project. But instead of personally informing Akshaye, she asked her manager to pass on the message to the director. The twist? She ended up running into Akshaye soon after on the sets of Salaam-e-Ishq in 2007. 'There was a film offered to me opposite Akshaye Khanna , and for some reason, I didn't connect with the script,' Vidya recalled. 'But I didn't pick up the phone and tell him that. I asked my manager to convey it to the director.' Little did she know, Akshaye hadn't forgotten. 'He fired me,' Vidya laughed. 'He was like, 'Why didn't you tell me you didn't want to do the film?' I went up to John [Abraham] and said, 'Can you please save me?' I was so new back then. I didn't want any confrontation.' Though the moment was tense at first, Vidya soon realized Akshaye was just messing with her. 'Of course, he was only pulling my leg,' she said with a smile. The experience, however, left a lasting impression. She added that over time, and especially after marrying producer Siddharth Roy Kapur , she's grown to respect the enormous effort that goes into crafting a film. 'Nobody likes to hear 'no,' and I understand that now more than ever. I'm not a rude person—I say it like it is, but I value the work that goes into creating a script,' she shared sincerely. On the work front, Vidya was last seen lighting up the screen in Anees Bazmee 's horror-comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, alongside Kartik Aaryan, Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri. The film hit theatres on November 1, 2024, and brought her iconic charm back to the big screen. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Pink Villa
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Vidya Balan recalls Akshaye Khanna's reaction after she rejected film opposite him, here's who she asked for help
Vidya Balan has come a long way. From playing endearing characters to picking up serious roles in films, the actress has proved her finesse and versatility. In a recent interaction with a media portal, she shared a hilarious anecdote from her early days of acting. Vidya recalled rejecting a film that featured her opposite Akshaye Khanna and revealed how the latter reacted to her saying 'no' to the project. Revisiting her journey and years-long career in the industry, the Do Aur Do Pyaar actress mentioned how she never wanted to hurt anyone by saying 'no' to any project. Vidya Balan shared, "There was a film offered to me opposite Akshaye Khanna, and for some reason, I didn't connect with the script. But I didn't pick up the phone and tell him that. I asked my manager to convey it to the director." The 46-year-old went on to share that when she met Akshaye on the sets of Salaam-e-Ishq, he fired her for rejecting the script, after which she ran to John Abraham for help. She asked to save her and opened up about not wanting to indulge in confrontation, hurt anyone's feelings, or make someone feel bad. "But eventually, he was only pulling my leg. I later realized," added Vidya. Furthermore, the Tumhari Sulu actress agreed to the fact that no one wants to hear 'no,' given that so much effort and time are invested into creating a script. Making a heartfelt confession, Balan stated that being married to a producer has made her realize the same even more than before. Spilling beans on the way to becoming honest, Vidya told the portal, "I'm not a rude person. I say it as it is, but I am aware of how much efforts go into developing a script and I value it." For the uninitiated, Vidya Balan was last seen in Bhool Bhulaiyya 3 alongside Madhuri Dixit and Kartik Aaryan. With a glorious career spanning decades, she is known for movies like Kahaani, The Dirty Picture, Ishqiya, and Parineeta.
Hindustan Times
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Piya Chakraborty become parents to baby boy: ‘Our hearts are full'
Actor Parambrata Chattopadhyay, known for his work in Bengali films and who has also worked in Hindi films like Kahaani and Bulbbul, has become a father. The actor took to his Instagram account on Monday to share the good news in a joint post with wife Piya Chakraborty. (Also read: Parambrata Chatterjee reacts to Anurag Kashyap calling Bengali cinema 'ghatia': 'The audience size should be that big') The post had a picture which had a note which read, 'It's a baby boy! Our hearts are full. Our hands will be fuller! Welcome to the world, Junior!' In the caption, Parambrata and Piya wrote: 'As we welcome our first child into this world, we wish to thank each and everyone for their warm wishes and prayers! (red heart emoticon)' Check out the adorable post: A post shared by Parambrata Chattopadhyay (@parambratachattopadhyay) Several actors reacted to the post and congratulated the couple in the comments section. Actor Huma Qureshi wrote, 'Congratulations ❤️❤️ sending love and more love' Actors Raima Sen, Sandipta Sen, Monami Ghosh, Anindita Bose, and singer Somlata Acharyya Chowdhury congratulated the couple in the comments. Parambrata got married to Piya in November 2023. The actor had shared several pictures from their private wedding ceremony. Sharing the photos, Parambrata captioned the post, "'Let us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky…' This is it. @piya_chakraborty." Parambrata made his debut in Bollywood with Kahaani (2012) starring alongside Vidya Balan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. His other notable works include Bhalo Theko, Baishe Srabon, Sold, Kadambari, Anukul, Dosar, Pari, Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi, Dwitiyo Purush, Bulbbul and Doctor Bakshi. On the work front, he was last seen in the Bengali film Sonar Kellay Jawker Dha, alongside Koel Mullick. The film is directed by Sayantan Ghosal, and produced by Surinder Films.
