By Jilawatan

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?

By Jilawatan

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.

By Jilawatan

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!

By Jilawatan

After playing an ideal mother in “Paa”, Vidya Balan says she is ready to surprise audiences with a completely different avatar in forthcoming movie “Ishqiya”. She will be seen as a conniving, scheming woman in Vishal Bharadwaj’s dark drama.

“For the first time I’ll be playing a woman who is conniving, scheming and in whom there is a sexual aggression,” Vidya told IANS in an interview.

“She is an aggressive person. She is someone who is unapologetic about her own choices. Bold is the word I’ll use for the lack of a better word. In the Indian context, she would be Rambha, Durga or Kali. She is someone who is dressed from top to toe but oozes sensuality,” the actress said.

Set in eastern Uttar Pradesh, “Ishqiya” is a tale of romance between individuals caught in a web of crime, suspense, passion and deceit. Made by first time director Abhishek Chaubey and produced by Bharadwaj, the film also stars Arshad Warsi and Naseeruddin Shah in pivotal roles.

In the film, Vidya sports a deglamourised look and mouths expletives.

Asked if Bharadwaj was the reason she signed “Ishqiya”, she said: “It’s always very reassuring when the producer is an established guy because when you take a film, you want to know that no compromises will be made while making the film and even after it gets released.

“Of course Vishal comes with a certain brand and credibility…but more importantly I loved the role offered to me. I wouldn’t have given it up. Along with that I loved Abhishek’s passion and sensibility. So it was a combination of all these things when I made my decision.”

The 31-year-old is also looking forward to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Chenaab Gandhi” in which she plays Amitabh Bachchan’s daughter.

After receiving flak for doing glamorous roles, Vidya has moved to author-backed characters in “Paa”, “Chenaab Gandhi” and “Ishqiya”. But she says her choice of roles is not a conscious effort to change her image.

“It’s not a conscious decision to try and stay away from a particular kind of roles. There is no effort for an image change. It’s just that I’m just being offered a lot of exciting work and I’ve tried to pick and choose different things to keep it very exciting for me,” she said.

“Of course, candyfloss is still welcome if it comes with substance, but the very fact that it’s candyfloss takes away the substance. So I don’t do that much candyfloss because it compromises on substance,” added the actress.

Vidya has earlier been seen in films like “Parineeta”, “Heyy Babyy”, “Bhool Bhulaiyaa” and “Kismat Konnection”.

By Jilawatan

If Abhishek Bachchan has carried his dad playing the progeric Auro piggyback in Paa, Vidya Balan had to carry another actor playing the same character’s younger version. The problem was, the physically-challenged 3-foot actor was almost the same weight as Vidya. She tripped and fell while doing the scene.

His name is Little Kiran. But he’s anything but little age-wise. Though height-challenged 3-feet nothing, Little Kiran who has played parts in a number of Hollywood films including segments of Narnia, The Lord Of The Rings and Star Trek was brought to Mumbai to play Vidya Balan’s progeric son at a younger age than the Big B.

It was when the shooting started that the director Balki suggested she carry him piggyback, the way Abhishek carries the older Auro later in the film. Says Vidya, “At first the idea of carrying a 53-year old man who happened to be a very warm and talented Gujarati artiste from London was very discouraging. But when you’re doing a film that you know somewhere is creating an unprecedented world, you tend to get defiant as an actor.”

Vidya recklessly agreed to carry a man who was older than her and almost the same weight. In doing so she tripped and fell and suffered an acute back-ache for a long time. Says Vidya, “It’s a passing shot. But I don’t think any actress in the world has done it. Carried a 53-year old man playing her son. But then which other actress my age gets to play Mr Bachchan’s mother?” Vidya says she might have hesitated in playing a mom if it was to a real child. “But with Mr Bachchan it was a straight yes.”

The effort has paid off. On Saturday night Vidya’s family saw Paa for the first time along with the Bachchans. “And my sister Priya howled all through. To her I’ll always be the little baby of the family and she the protective Didi. She couldn’t believe the trauma of a mother that I was projecting in Paa.”

Be shocked if you like, but Vidya with all her nurturing personality can’t get along with kids in real life. “If I hold a baby for a while I get stressed. In Heyy Babyy, the baby would bawl every time I had to carry it. In Paa I had to mother a man who was far older. It took a lot of getting used to. The fact that Mr Bachchan kept referring to me as ‘Maa’ as soon he entered the sets, sure helped.” And now Vidya goes straight into playing his daughter in Sanjay Leela Bhansali-produced Chenaab Gandhi.

“Isn’t that amazing? It takes a lot of getting used to. But I feel blessed. I’m done with trying to be someone I am not. I went through a period of tremendous turmoil when I was struggling to do roles that didn’t come naturally to me. But now in hindsight I think that confusion helped me pick Paa, Ishiqya and Chenaab Gandhi. It’s gratifying to know today directors think of me for specific roles and not just as one of many choices.”

A lot is being said about Vidya’s aesthetic clothes in Paa. “All thanks to Sabysachi Chakraborty. I think he understood my body language and my personality perfectly. And he dressed me up beautifully without overstepping the parameters of my character.”

By Jilawatan

The little master of Kolkata, Sabyasachi now moves into another trajectory by establishing his first flagship store with a Post Colonial Kolkata feel revival, in the capital with Carma. Launched by Vidya Balan the store presents the country’s Little Master -Sabyasachi Mukherjee, with the biggest market share on the fashion radar.

Sabya’s recent significant moments include designing for Aishwarya Bachchan in Oprah Winfrey’s show, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s production Guzaarish, Maniratnam’s Ravan and R. Balki’s Paa. Available at this outlet are not only the finery that Sabyasachi is characteristically associated with– namely his Bridal Line, but it moves into presenting an eclectic mix of products including menswear, western, casuals, shoes, jewelry, and bags, with a special dedicated section that focuses on the revival of the woven sari.

Indeed Sabyasachi at Carma is an endeavor, that is the first for Sabyasachi and a first for Carma, where an aspiration to own an heirloom entitled Sabyasachi Mukherjee will be met.

By Jilawatan

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…

By Jilawatan

She asks too many questions, has been christened Giggles by co-stars Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi and is finally settling in comfortably with her Indian good looks, thank you. Vidya Balan unplugged.

In the cruel heat of April, as the sun steadily beats down on the premises of Whistling Woods, Film City, actress Vidya Balan turned out in an off-white saree with a narrow border and moss-green Sabyasachi blouse is a sight for sore eyes. Balan in demure attire complete with Rapunzel locks, reminds one of the elegant simplicity of Hindi cinema best symbolised by Jaya Bachchan in Hrishikesh Mukherjee films. Days of trying to fit into the Western construct considered almost necessary for Bollywood actresses are happily behind her. A change of look for her movies is not ruled out but personally, she is all for Indian elegance. “I love wearing sarees. In fact, I have decided to wear them more often,” she says making herself comfortable in the vanity van. She is currently shooting for Balki’s Pa with Abhishek and Amitabh Bachchan.

Balan came into movies after a stint in Ekta Kapoor’s serial Hum Paanch and a few regional language films before her impressive debut in Pradeep Sarkar’s Parineeta. “I was born to be an actor,” she asserts. Quite like her pick of roles, Balan is not glamour-struck in her choice of matinee idols either. “Among actresses who made a lasting impression on me were Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi. Jaya Bachchan was fantastic at what she did but was also a commercial success and that is the position one would strive for. I have tried to do films where I am an integral part of the script,” avers Balan. During her school days, Balan was convinced that she would be the next Madhuri Dixit. But soon aftershe was impressed by the power-packed performances of Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi. It was during a break for her class XII exam that she watched Arth and was spellbound by Azmi’s performance. “Instead of studying, I kept wondering how they must have done the scenes. I had heard that Shabana did not use glycerine for her crying scenes and I tried all possible tricks to perform the same feat!” Balan reminisces with a laugh.

After a not-too-remarkable 2008—Halla Bol and Kismat Connection did not impress— the actress is looking at newer challenges.

This year she has been busy at work with Ishqiya opposite Naseeruddin Shah and Pa with Abhishek and Amitabh Bachchan. About working with legendary actors such as Shah and Bachchan, she says, “It is not easy to describe the experience – but when you see them, you realise that these greats are great because their passion, focus and dedication is unshakable. This is the first time I have acted with Mr Bachchan, with who I had barely one scene during the making of Eklavya. Watching him, I have learnt to be more patient. The humility of that man in his approach to work is incredible. He doesn’t take anything for granted even today after 40 years that I think is marvellous. It is very, very humbling.”

Of her stint with Naseeruddin Shah, she recalls, “I have loved Naseeruddin Shah’s work all my life. His daughter was my senior in college and we actually did television together. In fact, xI called up for Hiba once and he picked up…I got so nervous that I put the phone down!”

“Working with Naseer was fantastic. Initially, I was a little shy of him — we did our scenes together and then I went and sat in the corner. I think he realised it and after some time he warmed up to me. They would tease me about my laughing fits -Arshad and he named me Giggles because of it! Even through my laughing fits he was very patient,” laughs Vidya.

The conversation meanwhile has meandered to Pa, the film for which she is currently shooting, though Balan remains tightlipped about it except that “It’s a special film. The script is fabulous and there’s Balki — I loved Cheeni Kum!”

The script is something that Balan is particular about, especially after her mainstream experiments Salaam-e-Ishq and Kismat Connection met with lukewarm response. “It’s nice to do different things to know what you want to do and what you don’t. I wanted to do a purely commercial cinema and the films met the criteria. What a lot of people said after Heyy Babyy and Kismat Connection was that I was wasted in the films, so maybe I need to do roles that are more fleshed-out. The challenge then is greater and I am able to give it my best.”

She is also an actor who likes to prepare – read the script before the shoot and by her own admission, ask a lot of questions. “I would say that I preferred myself in Kismat Connection to Heyy Babyy. They are two films whose script I hadn’t read before I went to shoot. For Kismat Connection, I had thought of reading the script once I reached Canada, but I couldn’t. I went to sleep and woke up the next morning just in time for the shoot! I panicked and started crying,” she recalls. “It was almost a forewarning.”

The competition may be growing but Vidya, who in a short span has landed prestigious projects with top- league directors, is uncompromising in her quest for good films and unhurried as there are enough interesting roles going around. “ I hope that all good directors such as Pradeep Sarkar, Balki and Rajkumar Hirani repeat me in their films but I would love to work with Vishal Bhardwaj, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ashutosh Gowariker, Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra, Imtiaz Ali, Vinan Matthew and Rituparna Ghosh, Majid Majidi and Woody Allen perhaps?” she says, once again erupting into her infectious laughter.

With her unerring instinct and what is turning out to be an interesting body of work, the list looks very achievable.

By Jilawatan

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.

By Jilawatan

John Abraham and Vidya Balan seem to have buried the hatchet. Not that the duo didn’t get along before or something, its just that John’s girlfriend Bipasha was not very comfortable with the couple being paired together in Salaam-E-Ishq and post it.

But as destiny would have it, the two hot stars are back together on screen and what brings them together is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Chenab Gandhi. As against the initial plan, Bhansali has dropped Hurman Baweja and has roped in John for the lead role instead. Interestingly, Chenab Gandhi also stars Vidya Balan as female lead.
It can be recalled that after Salaam-E-Ishq many directors wanted to cash on John-Vidya’s hot chemistry but insecurities on Bipasha’s part had prevented the two stars getting romantically paired on screen.

Vidya even walked out of David Dhawan’s Hook Yaa Crook, starring John, to avoid any controversies. However all seems well between the duo now as they have agreed to work with each other in Bhansali’s Chenab Gandhi. ‘Let bygones be bygones’ seems to be the couple’s new mantra. We hope Bips believes in the same!