By Jilawatan

Katrina, Aishwarya, Priyanka, Deepika- how would it appear if you get to hear their voices from the lips of actress Vidya Balan. The same lady who debuted with ‘Parineeta’ has some hidden talents within her.
Interestingly, she is a decent mimic and can imitate some of the eminent film stars. Vidya can effortlessly copy some of the reputed B-town celebs. Well, this was one of the lesser known facts about her. Let’s say she is quite a ‘chupa rustam’ in this regard.
Wait! There is more. You may vouch for the acting credentials of this fiery actress. Everything right from her expressions to her facial contours to her dialogue delivery skills is pretty impressive. But did you know that she had a poetic side to her. Reportedly, Vidya is good with lyrics and has even composed quite a few couplets of her. She has a stock of shayari ready for use.
However, she doesn’t hone her poetic skills in general public or before media. She keeps them concealed and lets them come to the fore only when she is amidst her close friends.

Certainly, these are some astonishing trivia about the actress who shall be next seen in the film ‘No one Killed Jessica’ that hits theatres on January, 2011.

By Jilawatan

Mahie Gill, who will be in town to play the love interest of Naseeruddin Shah in Ribhu Dasgupta’s Michael, tells TOI that she shouldn’t be compared to Ishqiya’s Vidya Balan

You’ve been paired opposite Naseeruddin Shah in Michael…
He is a great actor and one of my favourites. Right from Masoom to A Wednesday!, I’ve been following all his movies. Amazing is the word that I can use to describe him. One of the biggest compliments that I received for Dev D came from him when he said that he liked my work. I was supposed to do another film with him titled Surmaiyee Shaam. I had met him twice for that film. It was to be directed by Brahmanand Singh but the film isn’t happening anyone. Thank God, Ribhu cast me in Michael. I can even play an extra with Naseer Sir. But then, I’m nervous.

Your character shares a romantic angle with Shah. Isn’t the comparison with Ishqiya obvious?
In Michael, I play a nurse who is attached to Naseer Sir and his son. He is a widower. There is some chemistry between the two of us though it’s very subtle. I don’t think my role can be compared to that of Vidya Balan in Ishqiya.

Are Hindi films more open these days about exploring the romance between an older man and a younger woman?
Age has nothing to do with romance. I don’t know Naseer Sir’s age but I think he can deliver any role given to him. Lamhe and Black too had explored the relationship between the older man and younger woman. But yes, today, there’s a lot more interest in exploring such relationships on-screen. Films have changed, so have audiences’ acceptance level.

Besides Michael , you’ve also done Dabangg. Is it the same Anurag Kashyap connection that prompted you to accept the film?
I did it for Dabangg’s director, Abhinav (Anurag’s brother). He is a friend. I’ve been cast opposite Arbaaz Khan. Mine is just a two-scene role where I have to romance him.

Since you’ve been attached to films like Dev.D, Gulaal and Paan Singh Tomar, how does it feel when you do mainstream cinema?
The language and acting pattern of realistic films are different from that of commercial movies. I started off doing realistic cinema. Hence, I find it easier doing them. PST releases in August and I’m optimistic about it. I’m open to doing both kinds of movies. I want to grow as a complete actor. Both the genres have their own challenges and I’m ready to try both.

Some actors claim that doing realistic movies alone isn’t enough for survival since they need to maintain a certain lifestyle. Apart from the growth of an actor, does economical reasons also govern your choice of doing commerical movies?
Money is important. Thankfully, I am being paid well even in the kind of movies that I do. I am happy with the kind of money I am getting. These are small-budget films and I am being paid according to the budget of the movie. I am not a party-goer and hence, not a high maintenance person. I am pretty much happy with the kind of money that I’m earning.

Among the Bollywood heroines, who are your role models now?
Among the younger lot, I think Kangna, Konkona and Vidya are good actors. While Priyanka is very hardworking, Kareena has star appeal.

When do you come down to Kolkata to shoot?
I’ll be in town on July 29 or July 30. I am looking forward to my stay in Kolkata. I’ve usually come down to the city for a day and have never got time to enjoy myself. I’ve some friends in Kolkata and am looking forward to enjoying Bengali cuisine too.

By Jilawatan

She is the thinking man’s dream. Whether she plays the unwed mother, or locks lips with her co-star, or suggestively sucks a thumb, her dignity remains intact. And then a pretty face and a voluptuous figure do not hurt. Vidya Balan is on a roll.

With two back to back hits — Paa and Ishqiya — a lot of compliments are coming her way from the fraternity as well as the audience. “It feels good as I can sense a certain vindication in my father’s eyes. When I was being written about in not so polite terms, there were times when I lost heart and he would tell me ‘things will change’. ‘No one can take your performance away from you and no one can give you a performance. So if that is yours, just hold on to it and that will take you places’. These words of my family gave me strength when I was a little shaky,” says Vidya.

Learning from her past mistakes, Vidya has most certainly decided to stay away from candy floss cinema. Hailed as the next big thing when she made her debut in Pradeep Sarkar’s Parineeta followed by the cult Munnabhai MBBS, suddenly she was courting controversies for her career decisions and unflattering wardrobe. “Most definitely, I tried to be like other girls. There was a certain complacency setting in. My biggest dream of being in the movies had been achieved. Suddenly, I started getting influenced by even stray people who were telling me, ‘Oh, you are getting so boring now. C’mon, glam it up’. I was probably feeling apologetic about doing a Parineeta… and I am extremely ashamed of saying that. I had begun to sway and was suddenly looking at roles very superficially in terms of being western or Indian, which I had not done even for my first film. People could sense that I was losing my identity. But these experiences brought clarity. I have come out of it,” explains Vidya, who has now redefined ‘sexy’.

“Sexy is an attitude and it comes from self-assurance. Today, I have actually gone back to wearing my sari and people are now calling me sexy and raunchy. That gives me a high,” she smiles. “Once, Balki (director of Paa) told me, ‘It takes actors ages to find their niche. Look at you, you have it and you are just about to give it up. Thank God, you held it back in time’. I was fighting that for some reason,” adds Vidya. “The kiss in Ishqiya was so passionate, though I was covered from top to toe. Tomorrow, if I have to play a prostitute and wear skimpy clothes, I will do it,” she adds.

‘I want to retain my curves’

So recently, when she went for a fitness training programme to shed those extra kilos, she decided to get rid of the excess, not the essentials. “I told my trainer to retain the curves. We are blessed with beautiful bodies, why fight that, it makes us look so sensuous,” she says. On clear terms, Vidya states that she will never compromise on the role front, it’s “only substantial roles for me. I am extremely particular not to do films for the wrong reasons.” A thriller based on the Jessica Lall killing (where she shares screen space with Rani Mukerji), and a comic caper currently excites her. “I could do a mad comedy as long as my role is substantial. But don’t make it floozy. A lot of women’s roles in Hindi cinema are very apologetic, but I am glad to be representing the changing face of Indian women since I have always portrayed strong female characters,” asserts Vidya, who doesn’t want to draw any comparisons with the current crop of heroines. “I am being me, I don’t know better, I don’t know worse,” she merely says.

No wonder, the actor is deeply influenced by the likes of Waheeda Rehman, Hema Malini, Rekha, Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit. Incidentally, the star of the millennium, Amitabh Bachchan has compared Vidya to Waheeda. A lot of people, she says, also liken her to Meena Kumari, Madhubala, “and post-Ishqiya it is Smita Patil.” “Like these actresses, I would like to lead life on my own terms and be remembered forever. But I am not so sure how many from today’s brigade will be remembered for so long,” she can’t resist adding.

‘I’m in a space of my own’

But the numbers game in Bollywood is inevitable. With constant comparisons between a Kareena and Katrina, Priyanka and a Deepika and with their names taken in the same breath, does Vidya miss out being in the Aleague? “I definitely don’t have a grouse. With no measure of immodesty, I would like to say that I am in a space of my own. I gave one hit after the other, which continues. I got critical acclaim as well as commercial success. By that measure, I qualify to be number one,” she states.
And with this, we leave the sensitive and subtle performer to bask in her glory. She is back in form. “Earlier, with Parineeta and Munnabhai, stardom hit me literally. I had no time to sit, soak it in and think. Today, I am much calmer about the success coming my way. But that childlike excitement is very much there,” she chirps.

By Jilawatan

Just few days back we saw bollywood two top actresses wearing same dress, yes we are talking about Paa star studded premier were Vidya Balan was spotted wearing a similar saree that Bachchan Bahu Aishwarya draped at the popular Oprah Winfrey show designed by Sabayasachi Mukherjee.

According to buzz, two more actress were spotted in almost same dress. Hot Priyanka Chopra and sizzling brown eye beauty Rani Mukherjee. Just the color of the dress was different.

Rani was seen in a dress with similar design and pattern that piggy chops had worn two months back.Priyanka had worn a short strapless outfit in blue color at the music launch of movie ‘Jail’ two months back.And with same designers creation, Rani too was seen in green version of dress. And interestingly, both the dresses were designed and given to the actresses by the same fashion designer Swapnil Shinde.

Few days back there was newz about former beauty queen Priyanka Chopra wearing same outfit once Amrita Rao had worn on television show ‘The Perfect Bride’ some days back.

It has become a new trend in bollywood or are fashion designers losing their creativity! So we can just say to chill to all the sexy and hot bollywood actress and do same pinch to each other!