Vidya Balan

By Jilawatan

Vidya wants to gather as much information as possible on Smitha, her life and the kind of person she was by meeting with her family and friends. Apparently, Vidya has no intention to get embroiled in any controversy post-production.

“This is Vidya’s second biographical character in a year. Just as UTV made sure that her part as Sabrina Lal in No One Killed Jessica was approved by her family, Vidya wants Silk Smitha’s family to give their go-ahead,” revealed a source close to the actress.

However, all this will have to wait as Vidya, currently, is busy shooting for Sujoy Ghosh’s ‘Kahaani’.

Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Films will be producing ‘The Dirty Picture’. The production house ended up getting into trouble after claiming that ‘OUATIM’ was a biopic on gangster Haji Mastan.

Controversial characters are tricky to portray, says Vidya
When contacted, Vidya confirmed that she indeed will be doing some heavy duty research on the life of Silk Smitha as portraying real life characters on-screen is a tricky business.

“One has to be very careful about portraying real lives on screen, especially controversial ones,” said Vidya, who allegedly want film’s producers to state in her contract that film is a biopic and is a legitimate one.

Tabloids had also been reporting that Vidya’s reluctant to do certain scenes in the film. However, when actress was asked about it, she revealed that she’s still discussing things with Balaji and it’s too early to say anything.

Speculations are rife that Rajkumar Santoshi is seriously considering casting Vidya in his next, inspired by real life events.

About Silk Smitha
Silk Smitha was born as Vijayalakshmi in a poor family in Eluru, AP, on Dec. 2, 1960.

She seemed to know her destination from very young age as she left home and studies after fourth standard and went to Madras to become film star. She become household name with her first major role in Tamil film ‘Vandi Chakkaram’ in 1979.

She did over 200 films and was famous for her bold roles. The actress dubbed as “soft porn” actress by critics, was found dead in her Chennai apartment in 1996.

By Jilawatan

Even though she is known for her serious roles, Vidya Balan takes the liberty to have some fun at times. While shooting for Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani, Vidya had to do a photo shoot for the film. And as Sujoy waited for her on the sets, he was in for a shock to see a ‘drunk’ Vidya show up on the set.

Sujoy, who wanted to wrap up the shoot that day, was surprised when Vidya wouldn’t shoot properly. She was slurring and acting like she’d drop any minute. As the actor continued her real-life act for half an hour, Sujoy sat quietly in a corner, as the photo shoot went on, with a worried look.

Finally, Vidya burst out laughing and put an end to the prank. “She pulled of the ‘I–am-so-drunk’ act so naturally that I believed it. Although I know it’s not like Vidya to show up in a drunken state, but full marks to the actress for playing the role,” says the director.

In Sujoy’s Kahaani, Vidya plays a married woman whose husband leaves London and comes to India for a job. After he goes missing, Vidya — who is pregnant — goes to Kolkata to search for him. The actor shot the film in the City of Joy for most parts of the year.

By Jilawatan

Vidya Balan and her Kahaani director Sujoy Ghosh have this endearing love hate relationship. They fight like kids and make up quickly too. But Sujoy makes Vidya laugh so much that she says she has to keep a stern expression while dealing with him. Otherwise no work will ever get done thanks to the giggles fits she gets. Also Vidya is so impressed by his directorial skills and his narrative that she was inspired to ‘choreograph’ a scene in the film. She and Sujoy sat down and designed the whole scene. And it has turned out very well. What next Vidya? Giggle fits over the director’s megaphone?

By Jilawatan

Vidya Balan didn’t let anyone smoke on the sets of Kahaani. And on days when no-one was caught with a cigarette, not even the chain smokers, she would call for a cake and chocolates for everyone. As reported (‘No smoking, says Vidya’; Hitlist, February 9), even director Sujoy Ghosh was not allowed to light up during the shoot. And when he tried smoking, he was caught on camera by crew members and then punished by the actress. Here’s Sujoy saying mujhe maaf kar do…

By Jilawatan

Vidya Balan has got a new nickname these days. Everyone is referring to the actress as Baby Balan — thanks to the slew of mommy roles she has been doing of late, the most recent one being in Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani.

Earlier too she played a mother in Sajid Khan’s Heyy Baby and Balki’s Paa. Now for Sujoy’s film, Vidya has been sporting a baby bump and looking quite comfortable with it. Needless to say, the director is only too pleased with his actress. “It’s a story of a woman who is six months pregnant and traces her journey from thereon. I had written the script keeping Vidya in mind. I wouldn’t have made the film without her. For me she’s a perfectionist who has beautifully brought the character alive,” said the director.
Guess Baby Balan is doing her director proud!

By Jilawatan

Vidya Balan who has proved her acting skill in the industry is now eyeing on direction. Hopefully, she would succeed in her new initiative too. We witnessed the talented lady’s directorial skill on the sets of Sujoy Ghosh’s ‘Kahaani’ where the actress was often found discussing direction with the director between the shots. Besides, she was also seen sitting with the cast, offering them tips on understanding the technical aspects of filmmaking! According to her close source, she grew as an actress and now she is taking interest in filmmaking. Vidya plays a pregnant woman in the film, which also sees a couple of young actors making their debut.

Recently, the actress inaugurated Seven Hills Hospital’s Aesthetic Clinic, which claims to offer both cosmetic dermatology and cosmetic surgery services at affordable prices. Seven Hills calims to be the largest aesthetic set up in India with 6000 sq. ft. area dedicated to the cosmetic dermatology and cosmetic surgery department. Apart from the state of the art advanced medical technologies related to skin, hair and body, the hospital also offers latest, finest technologies and surgeries like TUBA (Trans- Umbilical Breast Augmentation) facility . The hospital has added this facility for the first time in India.

By Jilawatan

Vidya Balan insists a wedding to rumoured boyfriend Siddharth Roy Kapoor, CEO of UTV Motion Pictures, is not on the cards. She says cheekily, “I’ve no time to get married, I’m too busy making dirty pictures.” The Dirty Picture in question is Vidya’s role as south porn actor, Silk Smitha.

Given the usually demure actor’s new racy act, has she researched any porn films to prepare for the role? “Not yet, though I think porn is more of a guy thing,” she responds. “But a friend of mine recently lent me a few world movies to watch and I was completely traumatised by this film called Caligula (1979 movie on Roman emperor Caligula featuring explicit sex and violence scenes). It’s not really porn, but it freaked me out.”

Speaking of occupational hazards, Vidya was apparently asked to pile on the pounds to convincingly play the south siren. “We were wondering if I should put on weight for the role, but luckily we decided against it. It will be my interpretation, not an impersonation,” she says.

Too bad, given she could have launched the anti-size zero look… “Oh I’ve always loved my womanly curves,” Vidya laughs. “I’ve never been skinny. Though that doesn’t mean I can eat as I please. In fact, when I was shooting for Kahaani in Kolkata, I complained to my director Sujoy (Ghosh) that I couldn’t eat like a pregnant woman despite playing one.”

Vidya recalls a time when her weight was literally giving her sleepless nights. “I’ve had a sleeping problem since I was in school, I couldn’t fall asleep before 4 am. Then about two years ago, I started putting on weight and everyone started writing about it,” she recalls, adding, “I set my diet straight but to no avail. Then my doctor asked me how many hours I was sleeping, which were about three-four. She explained how it wasn’t enough and that’s the reason I was gaining weight despite working out.”

Vidya, who is the brand ambassador for Sleep Awareness Month, admits that her sleep disorder had changed her personality. “I was edgy, suffered from low energy and was constantly restless,” she says. “It took a great deal of time to correct my sleep cycle, given half my life of abuse, but now my eyes start shutting earlier than I’d like them to.”

By Jilawatan

Everyone knows that Vidya Balan plays the protaganist in Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani, a pregnant woman who comes down to India in search of her missing husband. But not many know that she is the only actor from Bollywood to be cast in the film. All the other characters are played by television and stage artistes from Kolkata, barring one from New Delhi. “The film is based in Kolkata and I could not think of anyone from Mumbai who could fit into the characters that I had conceived. I only chose one actor from Delhi as he plays a character who hails from the capital,” explains Ghosh.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the director wrote the film with Vidya in mind. “The emotions that her character goes through could only be portrayed by an actor like Vidya. She researches her part so well that I hardly have to explain any scene to her,” says the director. Kahaani releases on June 17.

By Jilawatan

After directing films such as Jhankaar Beats, Home Delivery and Aladin, writer-director Sujoy Ghosh is now ready with his latest film Kahaani.

Buzz up!
Kahaani, starring Vidya Balan in the lead role, is a story of a woman, who is on the look-out for her husband, who has gone missing. The film has been mainly shot in Kolkata.

Produced by PEN India and Boundscript, Kahaani is all set for release on June 17 this year.

By Jilawatan

Vidya Balan is known for delivering power-packed performances in film after film. After Paa, Ishqiya and No One Killed Jessica, Vidya will be next seen in Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani.

Kahaani is a story of a pregnant woman who is on the look-out for her husband who’s gone missing. The film has been majorly shot in Kolkata. Sujoy Ghosh tweeted, “KAHAANI was shot in all real locations. No budget to build set. In Kolkata its totally impossible to shoot real but we did it:)”