One has often wondered why actors are called to give their views on everything from economics to a cure for cancer. But they invariably are.

Well, Vidya Balan the flavour of the current season — thanks to Paa and Ishqiya was invited to the Wharton School in Pennsylvania and she spoke of mainstream Indian cinema attempting to cross over. Vidya gave gyaan on how Indian cinema was watched in 90 countries across the globe and how Bollywood was poised for bigger and better things. Applauding her were a foreign audience and our very own Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and music director-singer Shankar Mahadevan. Chalo after her foreign stint, it is safe to assume that Vidya now knows a little more about the business of cinema than she knew before. Incidentally, the actress is said to be waiting with bated breath for Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Chenab Gandhi that also stars Amitabh Bachchan to start. Actually, why isn’t he starting?

Vidya Balan speaks on the Globalization of Mainstream Indian Cinema at the14th Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF)

Vidya Balan who has never failed to deliver a brilliant performance one film at a time was recently invited to the prestigious Wharton School in Pennsylvania to be part of the 14th Wharton India Economic Forum (WIEF) to speak on the subject of Globalization of Mainstream Indian Cinema.

Vidya Balan spoke on moving beyond parallel and cross-over films, and how mainstream Indian films are now making their mark on international audiences.

Reveals a source “Vidya Balan spoke on how mainstream Indian Cinema is going global in every way possible as international production houses including Warner Brothers and Disney are producing Indian films, and how Indian movies are being watched by over 90 countries and are consistently recognized across international film festivals”

Vidya Balan was part of a panel that discussed the achievements, shortcomings, and future prospects of the Indian film industry as it scales new global heights. Others on the panel included Anil Kapoor, Rakeysh Omprakash Sharma, Shankar Mahadevan, and Namit Malhotra.

Vidya Balan career wise has her plate full, she wowed us with her performance in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Ishqiya and is currently working on Chenab Gandhi and No One Killed Jessica.

Vidya Balan is surely going places. The actress has been invited to Wharton to attend the 14th Wharton India Economic Forum (WIFE).

Balan, who is one of the panel member, will be speaking on Film: Globalization of Mainstream Indian Cinema, along with actors Anil Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor, filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Prime Focus CEO Namit Malhotra and musician Shankar Mahadevan.

The 14th WIEF will be held at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia on 27 March, 2010. Balaji Telefilms joint managing director Ekta Kapoor is also among the panel speakers and will be speaking on the topic: Women in India: Breaking the Glass Ceiling.

Balan has just completed one schedule for her forthcoming film No One Killed Jessica, where she plays the character of Jessica’s sister Sabrina Lall. According to information available with Businessofcinema.com, Balan will be at Wharton for the next three days after which she will be finishing some personal work there and will return to Mumbai on 1 April.

Balan has all the reasons to be elated, with critics raving about her roles in films like Paa and Ishqiya and forthcoming films like Chenab Gandhi and No One Killed Jessica to look forward to in 2010.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s attempt to produce Chenab Gandhi, a story on Frontier Gandhi, was very much in the making up until just a few days ago. The film was being directed by one of his assistants, Vibhu Puri, who had assisted Bhansali on Saawariya earlier. Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan were playing pivotal characters.

Sources reveal that Sanjay Leela Bhansali was not very happy with the director hence has decided to scrap the project.

It was earlier reported that Harman Baweja was dropped and Rajeev Khandelwal had replaced him. The source further adds that Rajeev seems to be heart- broken and depressed about the film being scrapped.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali remained unavailable for comment.

Vidya is indeed looking forward to the offer coming her way, especially after just signing NO ONE KILLED JESSICA where she has an author backed role. In this film which would be directed by Raj Kumar Gupta (of AAMIR fame), Vidya would be enacting the role of Sabrina Lal, sister of Jessica Lal. There is also a buzz in the town that Rani Mukherjee has also been signed for the film.

Meanwhile Vidya denies signing any other new film though she reassures that her long-in-news CHENAB GANDHI is pretty much on. “Sanjay (Leela Bhansali) is currently busy with GUZAARISH which he is directing as well as producing. Once he is through with it, we should get started on CHENAB GANDHI. It should certainly begin sometime this year”, she confirms before signing off.

Vidya Balan is glowing with the compliments pouring in for her superlative performance in R Balki’s Paa.

She may be a foot shorter than both her Bachchan co-stars, but when it came to the histrionics, she matched Amitabh and Abhishek perfectly.

Now she’s channelising her energies into Ketan Maroo’s Ishqiya where once again she is it pitted with two versatile talents Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi.

Talking about her sensuous role in this robust, earthy, love triangle, the diminutive actress says, “I play a village belle.

Yet I’m fully aware of my sexual charms and within the four walls of the bedroom, I’m unapologetic about using my guile and charm.

Vidya says quality work like Paa and now Ishqiya has made her realise that if she is patient, the right roles are bound to come her way. “Once again I have as many advantages as I had when I did Parineeta,’’ says the actress. “My filmmakers have realised that given an opportunity, I will not let them down.’’

The coming year is an important year for Vidya. She starts the year with Ishqiya and then moves onto Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Chenab Gandhi. “The decision to do fewer films is entirely mine,’’ says the actress who is now super-confident that when it comes to her career, she will not make one false move.

On the personal front, it is rumoured that almost all her heroes be it John Abraham (Salaam-e-Ishq), Shahid Kapoor (Kismat Konnection) and now Arshad Warsi (Ishqiya) are attracted to her. “Rubbish,’’ she flails her hands and says.

“In fact, I think none of my heroes even treat me like a lady. I’m treated like one of the boys. My heroes back-slap me and we share a few laughs and jokes. However, I don’t think any of them is attracted to me. If they were, I would have noticed.’’

Well, well…so even as the rumour mills continue to buzz about Vidya past romances with John and Shahid, the actress herself has rubbed her slate clean… and is looking forward to her knight in shining armour putting in an appearance in 2010. What should one say — Halleluah!

Dabur has appointed actress Vidya Balan as its brand ambassador for the skin care product called Dabur Vveda. Balan started her career as a model in Surf Excel advertisement and has appeared in more than 25 ad films like Ponds, Bajaj, Surf, Toshiba, Airtel etc.

Before getting a break in Bollywood, she also acted in a few music videos with Euphoria, Shubha Mudgal, Pankaj Udhas etc. as well as TV serials such as Hanste Khelte and Hum Paanch. Balan has come a long way and has done some of the much talked about films like Parineeta, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Guru, Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love, Eklavya: The Royal Guard, Heyy Babyy, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Halla Bol and Kismat Konnection.

Her forthcoming films are Mukti, Ishkiyan, Pa, Chand Bhai, Chenab Gandhi and Bihaad.

Chenab Gandhi, a film produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, was to go on floors in April 2009. While the first schedule got pushed to September 2009 talks have it that the film may start rolling only in February 2010.

Actress Vidya Balan and actor Amitabh Bachchan who are currently shooting for Balki’s Paa will be seen together once again in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Chenab Gandhi, to be directed by Vibhu Puri. The film based on the life of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (played by Amitabh Bachchan) was to go on floors in April 2009. But Bhansali’s search for his ‘other hero’ caused a change in schedule.

Initially, Harman Baweja was to play an important part in the movie. But later there were reports that Bhansali settled for John Abraham and had to re-work schedules and dates. But it still wasn’t that easy. While media had it that actress Bipasha Basu wasn’t too keen to have John work with Vidya (the two were linked while shooting Salaam-e-Ishq), John rubbished the rumours and claimed that he wasn’t offered Chenab Gandhi in the first place. He admitted that he was in talks with Sanjay Leela Bhansali but that was for another project and not Chenab Gandhi.

Finally, Rajeev Khandelwal was roped in to play the ‘other hero’. But fortunately or unfortunately, the Sach Ka Saamna phenomenon happened to Rajeev Khandelwal, because of whom, sources say, the film will be further pushed and may go on floors only in February 2010 now. However, a birdie from the production house claims, “The last show of Sach Ka Saamna maybe September 26, but nothing is confirmed yet.” So Bhansali finds himself in date trouble all over again, but this is one sach that he’ll just have to face! Watch this space for more news…

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan has been supporting education amongst underprivileged girls by helping NGO Nanhi Kali, which currently supports 37,000 girls in urban, rural and tribal areas. She has helped to launch two new animated characters, Fafa and Juno, who will appear on the Spacetoon TV channel and associated merchandising. Spacetoon claims to have 200 million viewers worldwide. Vidya will also be supporting some girls herself through the programme. “I am not comfortable talking about it but yes I do plan to finance the education of a few girls,” she admitted, “It’s amazing how many girls can get educated for a measly sum of money. It’s a small thing to do especially when I have been given so much.”

Kerala-born Vidya has a remarkably busy schedule ahead of her this year, including some fascinating films such as Ishqiya with Naseruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi and Chenab Gandhi. This latter film stars Amitabh Bachchan and is about the Pashtun pacifist and freedom fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, often referred to as the Frontier Gandhi. It’s rumoured that John Abraham might play the role of the younger Khan.

Vidya is also having a whale of a time at the moment shooting for Pa which includes both father and son Bachchans. “I have been shooting for Pa. We did a shooting schedule in Mumbai and outside it had Mr Bachchan and Abhishek. They’re keeping me busy,” she confirms.

Bipasha Basu is not in the favor of beau John Abraham to cast opposite Vidya Balan and she is making much effort to encourage John to walk out of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Chenab Gandhi’ in which he will be paired opposite Vidya Balan.

We spoke to our source, “Bipasha has been trying her level best to persuade John to step out of the project, but he doesn’t want to back out from this historical venture of Sanjay.

While the film was scheduled to start in April, it has now been postponed to December 2009 because of John’s uncertainty. This delay from John has been on purpose because he still hopes Bipasha would cool down.

But it doesn’t seem so, as the couple has again begun to have arguments over this issue.”

Earlier Harman Baweja was to act in ‘Chenab Gandhi’ but later he was replaced by John. In the past, John and Bipasha had a fight over his pairing opposite Vidya in ‘Salaam-E-Ishq’ where the couple seemed to have shared a great on-screen chemistry.