Vidya Balan is quite relieved nowadays as she has been spared of a link-up with her co-star Arshad Warsi with whom she is shooting for Ishkiyan.

“Vidya is happy that this time the media will not be able to link her with her co-star. Arshad is her good friend and he is happily married with two kids. So she is glad that she will be spared any link-ups this time,” a source said.

The two are shooting in Wai for Vishal Bharadwaj’s Ishkiyan. In the past, Vidya has been linked to all her co-stars including Shahid Kapur, Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham. She was also linked to Sajid Khan, who directed her in Akshay Kumar- starrer Heyy Babby.

Vidya Balan is shooting with Arshad Warsi in Wai. Being with Arshad comes as a relief for Vidya. “Vidya is happy that this time the media will not be able to link her with her costar. Arshad is a friend! Also he is married with two kids. So she is glad that she will be spared link ups this time,” a source said. Vidya was earlier linked with Shahid Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and John Abraham. That’s practically every other co star she has worked with. No wonder, Vidya is fed up!

While in Wai, Vidya Balan is having a wonderful time shooting there. But unlike other actresses who like to remain holed up in their vans in between shoots, Vidya loves spending time with nature. A unit member revealed, “Vidya loves to be in a natural environment. She enjoys nature walks in between shots. She’d rather sit in the greenery and soak in its beauty than be stuck in the van. Vidya finds the entire experience to be meditative and absolutely soothing.” Even when not shooting, Vidya doesn’t idle away her time! “Vidya goes for these long walks on the roads of Wai. So if you spot someone in tracksuits with an ipod and speakers hooked into her ears, walking away briskly, you know who it is,” laughs the unit member. Viday’s staff does accompany for her brisk walks. “We cannot take any risks. What if she gets mobbed,” says a staff member. Vidya believes that natural environment is the best environment.

Hope Vidya gets more opportunity having married co–stars and natural environment to spend time with nature.

Gul Panag, whose Tata Sky TV ad with Aamir Khan is getting a fabulous response, talks to Nishi Tiwari about working with the actor and how she intends to have a long career in films

Not long ago, actors R Madhvan and Vidya Balan appeared on our television sets in a series of Airtel commercials and won our hearts as a much-in-love couple. The ads were well-scripted and their chemistry sizzled. Little surprise then that the commercials became hugely popular across the country. Now you have that Tata Sky commercial featuring Aamir Khan and Gul Panag as a married couple dying to get their hands on the TV remote. The earlier commercial with Aamir dressed in drag received mixed reactions but this particular one has already become the talk of the town.

Gul Panag, of Dor and Manorama Six Feet Under fame, is naturally thrilled to do a commercial with Aamir Khan no less and was more than willing to speak about the experience. “The commercial has been directed by Vinil Mathew who has also worked on the Madhavan-Vidya Balan ad. But this one is different. Here, the couple is not very lovey-dovey with each other. Their life together is about getting to watch their choice of shows,” she says, adding, “There are a lot of moments between us in the ad which is making it work.”

Gul is all praise for Aamir — the actor with whom she has struck a great chemistry on screen. “You only realise why he is such a great actor and why he has reached where he is today after you’ve worked with him. He is really focused on his work and is an exceptional actor.”

Shedding some light on the product she endorses, Gul says, “You can watch your favourite serial while another programme is being recorded for later viewing. So that takes care of disagreements in a house hold”, she laughs. Talking about her career, Gul’s biggest claim to fame was the moment when she won the Miss India title and was raved about for her cute dimples. But that proved to be a temporary phase as she was quickly forgotten, until she took a plunge into acting. Gul denies she was ever striving to be a successful model. “This is a common misconception. After you win a beauty pageant, people assume that you are a model. I never did any modeling. In fact my first assignment was as an anchor on TV.” She started her career from the small screen and has gracefully made inroads in Bollywood too. Talking about her journey so far, she says, “I’m really grateful because Miss India happened to me and for the way things have shaped up so far. Most of my films have been appreciated, be it Dor or Manorama Six Feet Under.”

She also reveals that unlike other actresses, she is not here for another five-ten years. She states, “I’m a marathon runner. And plan to be here for as long as possible. It’s very important to keep the long-term picture in your mind while taking decisions. Where I want to be in ten years will determine if I’ll do a certain film. If you identify your goal, it makes it easier to accomplish things. I’d like to do films, which can be watched even after ten years without losing their relevance.” The actress’ upcoming projects include Trade with Vinay Pathak, Hello Darling with Mukta Arts and Ram Gopal Varma’s next.

Chalo Panjim. He’s shooting for a travel bag ad, and for once he’s bereft of companions. All there and smiling in the sunny, bebinca ambience, he hops into a car to speed along the seafront. So here’s Shahid Kapur in a feni-‘n’-games chatteroo with Nikhil Taneja who returns home from Goa with his teetotaller reputation intact.. hic?

Your Yash Raj movie seems to be making news for all the wrong reasons. Apparently director Anurag Singh was sidelined during the Chandigarh shoot and Rani Mukherji was ghost directing it.
Now tell me, who was in Chandigarh to see all this? We were shooting in the middle of huge wheat fields.. was any reporter hiding there among the wheat stalks and reporting such news? There was nothing of the sort yaar, I don’t know how such news makes it to print. There was no such stress.

So there are no issues between Rani and you?
Of course not. Rani is very professional. And like (director) Anurag, she’s been a part of the Yash Raj set-up since years.

When this news of Rani ghost directing came out, we were still in Chandigarh and we all laughed about it. (Smiles slyly) In fact, we’ve captured some moments in the making ofthe film about the incident.

Isn’t the movie inspired by She’s The Man?
I haven’t seen that movie, so I wouldn’t know. (Laughs) But when I see it, I’ll let you know first. As far as I know, it’s an original screenplay.

I believe you’re playing a top cricketer in the movie.
(Laughs) Let’s do one thing. I’ll tell you everything about all my four movies which will be released in 2009. So next year, I won’t have anything more to say about them.

Okay, so isn’t the Rani Mukherji-Shahid Kapur jodi as odd as the pairing with Vidya Balan?
I guess people should wait for the promos before they talk about our chemistry.

Your chemistry, in real life, with every actress becomes grist for the gossip mills. Right now, you’re pretty buddy-buddy with Priyanka Chopra..
(Exasperated but smiling) Ooof, this has been happening to me since last year. Even if go out for dinner with my cousin sister, I’m linked with her. Just because two celebrities sit together and laugh on the sets, you can’t jump to conclusions.

If the media wants to conclude that there’s something going on between me and every girl I talk to and laugh with, then it’s their problem, not mine.

In hindsight, should you have made your relationship with Kareena Kapoor so public?
Let’s face it, do actors have a choice? It’s a professional hazard. Even if I want to be private, I wouldn’t be given the freedom. Having said that, I don’t hide anything. If I’m seeing someone, it is bound to become public knowledge. But I’d like to hang on to whatever little privacy I can get.

So are you holding on to a ‘single and dating’ status now?
(Laughs) No, no, no. I was a kid when I started out in this profession.. I didn’t know what was going on. I’ve made some mistakes but with age and experience, I’m more balanced now.

Oh, you sound pretty mature for someone..
(Cuts in.. with mock anger) Tu mujhe mature bana raha hai? This must be the first interview in my life during which I’ve actually been called mature. (Animatedly) I’m really happy yaar, because I’m working really hard to look older.

But aren’t you making some rash decisions.. like nixing Rajkumar Santoshi’s Ajab Prem ki Gazab Kahani and Ashutosh Gowarikar’s What’s your Rashee?
(Smiles) Even the most innocent thing you say about a movie you’ve turned down becomes a controversy. Let’s just say, I can take on new projects only after completing my earlier commitments.

You’re featured prominently in the promos of Milind Ukey’s Paathshala.. though it’s only a cameo.
Yeah, I’m not the hero of the film, very clearly. I’m doing it for Ahmed Khan who’s a dear friend and his wife is producing a film for the first time. But I have a substantial half-an-hour or 40-minute role of an English and music teacher.. unfortunately not a dance teacher.

You’re learning some international dance form for Ken Ghosh’s Yahoo, right?
Yeah, we’ve brought in Marty, a choreographer who does most of Justin Timberlake’s videos. (Smiles earnestly) I’m working really hard yaar.. it’s a dance movie.
Talk was that Ken Ghosh was unhappy with some of Jiah Khan’s scenes?
There was four or five days of re-shooting but not because he was unhappy with anyone.. we’re just looking at the overall product.

Has the movie been delayed for six months because of your neck injury?
There was a cancellation of just a few days, that’s it.

Was the injury because of all the stunts you’re performing for Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminay?
The neck injury didn’t happen on any set. Okay, I’ve had some minor injuries while shooting for Kaminay.. but that happens during every physically demanding movie.

What’s with the title of the movie?
(Laughs) Hey, you guys should ask Vishal this question. He thought of the title but I like it very much.. it’s very relevant to the film.

How come you’re not doing anything on TV?
It would be too early to do that at this point. And honestly, I’d resolved not to do any endorsements either if I didn’t care for the product or if the product didn’t connect with me.

You’re doing an ad for a VIP.. what’s the connect there?
See, VIP has a history.. they are the highest selling Indian bags in India. And now they have come up with a stylish line for the young traveller.. VIP Nuovo.
I’d like to think that I represent the young generation. Plus I liked the creatives, so I signed on as their brand ambassador.

Okay. So what’s the status on the delayed-by-eons Milenge Milenge? Apparently you didn’t want to dub for it.
See, I finished shooting for the film three years ago.. no one contacted me about it until recently. I’ve started dubbing for it now. But I have several prior commitments, so I will complete the dubbing when I get the time.

And what’s happening with your father Pankaj Kapur’s film? It was announced almost an year ago.
We’ll shoot for that from April through the entire year.. because it’s the kind of subject requires for me to do nothing else while I’m shooting for it.. and not just because it’s my father’s film.

Back to the basics.. are you okay being single?
Hey, you won’t get me there. Whether I’m single or not, I’m very happy with my private life.

So you are not single then?
(Laughs) Go figure!

Vidya Balan is a Tamilian from Kerala. She is from the Iyer community. She comes from a middleclass family from Palghat, on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Vidya did her schooling from St Antony’s School and later on joined St Xavier’s College from where she graduated in sociology.

When she was doing her MA from Mumbai University, she was offered a role in a Malayalam film titled Chakram with Mohanlal, one of Vidya’s favorite actors. However, the project was shelved mid-way and Vidya had to wait for few more years to make her movie debut.

She made her debut as a model in a Surf Excel advertisement in 1998. She has acted in scores of ad films, most of which were directed by Pradeep Sarkar.

A couple of months later, she featured in three music videos (again directed by Sarkar) for ‘Euphoria’, Shubha Mudgal and Pankaj Udhas.

Vidya also acted in Ashok Pandit’s TV serial Hanste Khelte and Ektaa Kapoor’s Hum Paanch.

In the meantime, she acted in Bengali movie Bhaalo Theko with actor Joy Sengupta. She even won the ‘best actress’ Anand Lok Puraskar in Kolkata for her performance in the movie.

It was in Mumbai, during a pop concert, when filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra approached her to play the female lead in his movie Parineeta, to be directed by Pradeep Sarkar.

Vidya had to go through 40 screen tests and 17 make-up shoots before she was finally chosen for the lead role in the film.

These are some of the leading actors of B’town. But these stars have never worked together professionally & hopefully they never will. If they do the consequences will be disastrous.
Probably the reason why no producer has ever cast them together!

Here’s taking a look at the not-so-happening jodis in tinsel town…

Vidya Balan & Salman Khan

They’re both short and stocky. So ideally they should form a perfect match. But that’s not the case.For the simple reason Salman and Vidya are both muscular and have bulging biceps.
A love scene between them in all probability would look like a wrestling match…

Vidya Balan is having a wonderful time shooting in Wai. Unlike other actresses who like to remain holed up in their vans in between shoots, Vidya loves spending time with nature. A unit member revealed, “Vidya loves to be in a natural environment.

She enjoys nature walks in between shots. She’d rather sit in the greenery and soak in its beauty than be stuck in the van. Vidya finds the entire experience to be meditative and absolutely soothing.” Even when she is not shooting, Vidya doesn’t idle away her time. “Vidya goes for these long walks on the roads of Wai. So if you spot someone in tracksuits with an ipod and speakers hooked into her ears, walking away briskly, you know who it is,” laughs the unit member.

Viday’s staff does accompany for her brisk walks. “We cannot take any risks. What if she gets mobbed,” says a staff member. Vidya believes that natural environment is the best environment.

Vidya Balan:” I used to catch Nach Baliye sometimes. Otherwise no tv show has me really hooked. When I’ve the time I watch film. used to be an avid tv watcher before I joined films. Now I’ve become very impatient.

When I watch tv I just surf restlessly. A lot of the fare is uninteresting to me. Since I don’t have the time to follow the soaps I end up watching just the news or music channels.

Even the news channels are so tacky sometimes. These things that they put on anything in the name of news. I don’t enjoy surfing. Because a lot of the stuff is just a carryover from Bollywood I might as well watch a film. I enjoy the music-talent shows.

These shows have given us so much singing talent. However one aspect of these shows upsets me. People on these shows come just for 15 minutes of fame and not for the love of the arts. Sorry if I sound judgemental. But no one seems to have his or her priorities right on these shows.

Saif Ali Khan: “My favourite tv shows are Entourage, Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Blackadder, Prison Break, 24, The X Files, Murder She Wrote and Who’s The Boss.

Naseeruddin Shah: “I only watch tennis and cricket on television. Also old movies. I tried watching the Olympics on television and gave up for obvious reasons.

Madhavan: ” I watch about an hour of television at the most. And that too depends on whether I’m shooting or not.My favourite tv shows are the ones on National Geographic, Untamed Africa, etc.

My favorite personality on TV is Barkha Datt. Barring a few most news channels are tabloids…find very hard to digest. Reality shows are now formated and predictable.

Kay Kay Menon: “I don’t normally watch daily soaps or reality shows. I only watch the news and sports channels. And National Geographic, Dicovery and History channel. I recently watched the music talent show Junoon Kuch Kar Dikhane Ka on NDTV Imagine. I loved it very much for its superior standards and quality of singing.

Raima Sen: “I only watch Friends ands Sex & The City. Both are hilarious and the characters are easy to relate to. I also like Fear Factor, though I’d never want to participate in it.

Dino Morea: “I only watch television for the sports, or if there’s important news. Or if I’m on some show.

Manoj Bajpai: “I only watch the news channels because I want to keep abreast of what’s happening in the world.”

The nice Chembur girl Vidya Balan reveals she is happy being single in the city. Hanging out with her girlfriends. The prospect of a relationship keeps her happy. In the meantime she is truly enjoying her freedom.

Starlet Vidya Balan is loving all the attention that she’s been getting since the day her name was put with that of Shahid’s. This Bollywood beauty chose to keep the ‘Shahid’ topic open ended. We are sure that the Shahid-Vidya pairing will be back on demand very soon.

Uncannily all agents want to show her flats in the same apartment complex as Shahid’s. Now what’s that talk about a real ‘Kismat Konnection’?

Is Vidya Balan Shedding Her Clothes ?
This question seems to be surprising but its true as Vidya Balan wants to get a glamorous look, so what she is doing ? Well looking into current scenario she seems to be shedding her clothes to get glamorous. The best example is the pictures on the Fhm magazine covers. If you have watched her previous movie then you might be remembering how was her look at past and how she looks now.
This is not the case of Vidya Balan, every actress in the tinsel town of bollywood who wants to get glamorous tries to shed her clothes and yeah most of them are successful.

As most actress try to get glamorous look are they good in acting also ? well answer is “No”. The common people who watches movies wants an actress with glamourous look but with that the performance should also be good, but that often happens.

Get to see the most glamorous look pics of the Vidya Balan from FHM magazine august 2008 edition.