By Jilawatan

She was hailed as the next big thing when she made her debut two years ago in Pradeep Sarkar’s Parineeta. But now everyone is questioning Vidya Balan’s career decisions. Critisised for her itsy-bitsy role in Eklavya, her unflattering wardrobe in Heyy Babyy and her refusal to promote Mani Ratnam’s Guru, Vidya Balan seems to be courting controversy with every step she takes.
Rajeev Masand: You are just back from a long two-month outdoor in Toronto shooting for Aziz Mirza’s Lucky Charm . What was the experience like, being away for so long?
Vidya Balan: Yes, this has been my longest outdoor. Toronto is a beautiful place and it was my first trip there. We were at a very pretty location downtown. We were actually on Lake Ontario so it was beautiful. I love Aziz Mirza. He spreads so much positivity and cheer that rubs off on everyone. Otherwise what can happen on such a long shoot is that you just get on each other’s nerves. But I don’t think any of that happened. We really had a nice time.
Rajeev Masand: With you being away for two months, you didn’t really get to savour the success of you film Heyy Babyy.
Vidya Balan: Yes, I have just come in though I know it has done really well because I have been in touch with Sajid (Khan) and a couple of other people from the team. I have not been here to enjoy the success but that has also saved me a lot of flak. So maybe there’s a reason for everything.
Rajeev Masand: The flak was not really directed towards your performance as much as it was directed towards your wardrobe.
Vidya Balan: That’s some respite at least. For the wardrobe, I would like to take as much responsibility as Manish (Malhotra) because I think I was a little blasé about the clothes and the look. I tried to be different but I have learnt that you don’t have to look different for the sake of being different. Manish and I should have been more careful because it is the first time I have sported a western look. It would unfair to say that Manish gave me bad clothes because I can also look into the mirror and see what works and what doesn’t. But I didn’t bother too much so both of us should be splitting the flak.
Rajeev Masand: Your film Bhool Bhulaiyya is releasing on the same day as Laaga Chunari Mein Daag. You were offered a role in Laaga … first but you could not do it for whatever reasons. So do you that find it ironic or poetic?
Vidya Balan: Poetic, yes. Like I have said before, I never imagined not being part of Dada’s (Pradeep Sarkar) film. I just got to know a week ago that it’s releasing on the same day. I was amazed. It’s great.
Rajeev Masand: You must feel tricky because you can’t want the other film to not do well.
Vidya Balan: I don’t want anyone’s film to not do well. I’m not trying to sound holier-than-thou but I know what goes into making a film and I think there are enough people to be watching all kinds of films.
Rajeev Masand: You must have heard that your film Eklavya has a bit of a controversy surrounding it regarding it being sent for the Oscars. What’s you view on this?
Vidya Balan: I wouldn’t like to say much about it because at the moment the matter is sub judice. As an actor, it just feels good that one of my films was selected. Last year, Lage Raho Munnabhai was sent as an independent entry. I enjoyed working on Eklavya. Vidhu Vinod Chopra is someone who I had wanted to work with ever since I had seen Parinda. I remember in a little black book I had a list of directors I wanted to work with and his name was in one of the first pages.
Rajeev Masand: Tell us a little more about this little black book. So how many names have you struck off it already?
Vidya Balan: I’m a very greedy person. I have worked with Mani Ratnam but I want to work with him on a full-fledged role. There’s Vidhu Vinod Chopra who I again want to work with. Strangely, I had watched Dada’s music videos and I had told myself I want to work with him. He stopped doing music videos. Finally when he did one after two and a half years I was actually in it. So divine intervention, I guess. There’s Rajkumar Santoshi and Nikhil Advani who I have worked with also.
Rajeev Masand: So that’s a good record.
Vidya Balan: Yes, but there’s a long, long, long way to go.
Rajeev Masand: Best of luck. Let’s hope we see a lot of different roles and films from you. Thank you for talking to us.

By Jilawatan

Five years after Parineeta, Vidya Balan and her mentor, Pradeep Sarkar, recently got back together to shoot a hair oil ad. The actress admits she was really nervous and insisted on a rehearsal before the first take. “It’s been a long time since I worked with Dada and I was
wondering if the connect we had shared was still as strong, if I could understand what he wanted as easily as before, without words being spoken,” she points out.
To her relief, nothing had changed. “It was like cycling, a skill you don’t forget once you’ve learnt it,” she laughs. “And with Natti (cinematographer N Nataraja Subramaniam) behind the camera, it was almost like we were back to the Parineeta days.”

The modern-day Lolita would love to do a film with Dada next. Sarkar himself is keen. Says Sarkar, “Vidya has grown as an actress since her debut in 2005. She was ‘bindaas’ (uninhibited) in Ishqiya and awesome in Paa. In fact, Paa should have been called Maa. Whatever she does, Vidya does with pure intensity and is a true Indian beauty. You can’t take the Indianess out of her.”

Script not ready
It is learnt that he wants to make a costume drama with her. Balan doesn’t think he’s ready with a script yet, but would like to do a film revolving around relationships with him. “May be a love story, but I couldn’t say if it would be another period film or a historical,” she says.

Has she seen Sarkar’s recently released Lafangey Parindey? “Dada didn’t want me to see it till he asked me to. I wasn’t called for the screening, I’m still waiting,” she smiles.

As she waits for Sarkar’s call, Balan has signed a thriller to be shot in Kolkata by another Bengali, Sujoy Ghosh. “It’s an exciting script and we’ll be filming in Kolkata for a month-and-a-half during Durga puja. I’m told the city dons new clothes to welcome Maa and I can’t wait to see it. May be I could go ‘pandal’ hopping and visit Kalighat. That’s a must, even during the crazy festive season,” she insists.

Casting for the film is still on. It would have some Bengali actors with Balan probably as the only big Bollywood name. The star draw, huh? “I’d prefer the script rather than the star to be the crowd-puller,” she retorts.

By Jilawatan

Vidya Balan’s plans of performing a complex Mohiniyattam dance for Santosh Sivan’s Malayalam film Urumi have been postponed due to her shoulder condition. The actress says she can’t dance until she is fully recovered otherwise she may have a life-long shoulder problem. “This has happened all because of my own stubbornness,” said Vidya whose gym trainer had warned her against rigorous exercises.
“But I didn’t listen to him. Now I can’t dance until I am fully recovered. I still haven’t forgotten the impact of my classical number in Bhool Bhulaiyaa. The one in Santosh’s film would be far more sensuous and intricate.”

Vidya has a chronic shoulder condition which got aggravated after she insisted on going to the gym before it had healed completely. She has now had a relapse, leading to this excruciating pain.

“Now I’ve to wait out, I’ve no option. Otherwise I’ll have a life-long shoulder problem. I can’t wait to start rehearsing for Santosh Sivan’s dance number.”

Though Vidya is a trained classical dancer, a Mohiniyattam guru has been specially hired by Sivan to teach her nuances of the dance form before she performs it for filming.

Vidya’s training was to start this week. Her spirit and her feet are willing — but the body is too weak to take the vigorous dancing.

“I was in so much pain I couldn’t do any of the normal things, let alone dance,” she said.

Speaking on the much talked-about item song, she said: “It’s more talked-about than actually performed. I was supposed to start preparing for it this week. Unfortunately I’ve been down with a painful shoulder condition for some time. And completely forbidden from doing anything strenuous.”

Vidya describes it as a fusion dance.

“Since I was born in Kerala my family is so looking forward to my foray into Malayalam films. I thought a song is a very good place to start. Moreover, I totally admire Santosh Sivan’s work… who doesn’t?”

By Jilawatan

They may not be BFFs, but Vidya had a wonderful time shooting with co-star Rani Mukherjee. A unit source said, “Vidya discovered that Rani is a prankster and told Rani so. Vidya believes that the glint in Rani’s eyes shows her naughty side.”
Vidya always wanted to work with Rani. In fact, few know that Vidya did get a chance to work with the actress but turned down the film. Pradeep Sarkar had offered Laaga Chunri Mein Daag to Vidya Balan to play the role that was essayed by Konkana Sen Sharma. Vidya had to say no as she did not have the dates. However, she regretted losing the opportunity of working with Rani. But this time when she got a chance to act in Who Killed Jessica? Vidya

By Jilawatan

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan will be conferred with the Smita Patil Memorial Award for her “outstanding” contribution to the film industry.
“Vidya Balan is an excellent actress. She is modern yet contemporary and has done decent and powerful roles. Her performance in ‘Paa’ was outstanding. Our jury has chosen her for the Smita Patil Award for her outstanding contribution to the film industry,” Priyadarshini Academy chairman Nanik Rupani told IANS.
Priyadarshini Academy is an NGO which is engaged in socio-cultural and educational activities and has been holding the biennial award function since its inception in 1984.
In 2008, Preity Zinta was felicitated with the award. Other celebrities like Yash Chopra, Karisma Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit and Kareena Kapoor have also been bestowed with this award.
Vidya Balan made her debut with Pradeep Sarkar’s “Parineeta” in 2005 and later on went to give some outstanding performances in “Lage Raho Munnabhai”, “Bhool Bhulaiyaa”, “Paa” and “Ishqiya”.
The ceremony will be held Sep 19 in Oberoi Hotel, Mumbai.

By Jilawatan

Vidya Balan has lent her voice to one of the stories in the Karadi Tales.

What’s more Balan along with Gulzar did the Karadi Tales reading in Mumbai.

Balan shot to fame in the film industry with Parineeta, which was produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and directed by Pradeep Sarkar. She debuted in the movie opposite Saif Ali Khan. Prior to that she was seen in Balaji Telefilms popular television show Hum Paanch.

Vidya Balan and Pradeep Sarkar recently patched up their differences. The two were not on talking terms after Vidya refused to do Sarkar’s Laaga Chunri Mein Daag (the role went to Rani Mukerji).

Sarkar has finally broke the ice by giving Vidya a call. They chatted for a long time and now, Sarkar is likely to cast Vidya in one of his upcoming Films.

Sarkar, fondly known as Dada, directed Vidya in 25 ads and also launched her in Bollywood, with Parineeta. No wonder the director was extremely upset when Vidya left his film Laaga… for Sajid Khan’s Heyy Babyy.
Our source from the industry said, “Vidya had tried to make up by calling Sarkar several times. He did not even take her calls, making it clear that he was angry.”

So, how come Sarkar had a change of heart? Our source revealed, “While talking about Parineeta to a group of people, Sarkar could not help but praise Vidya’s contribution to the film’s success. It was then that he decided that it was high time to forget the past and move on.”

The source added, “They spoke for a long time and Sarkar said that they should work together again. That’s when Vidya got emotional and even broke down on the phone.”

The old days are back with Vidya making trips to Sarkar’s office very often and spending time with his wife, as in the past. When contacted, Vidya who has recently signed two big films with Sanjay Bhansali and Ashutosh Gowariker, confirmed the story. Saying that everything was fine between Sarkar and her right now, she added, “Dada and I are talking now. All is well between us. It had to be. Our bond was too strong to be broken by such a trifling matter.”