Vidya Balan gets remarkably candid with Sandipan Dalal about the gender pay gap in Bollywood, her discomfort with auditioning for roles in Hollywood, and why she’ll never work with husband Siddharth Roy Kapur.
Vidya Balan is on week two of a ‘forced’ medical leave after being diagnosed with dengue. The actor had a whirlwind year shooting for Sujoy Ghosh’s Kahaani 2 in Kolkata until May this year, and then travelled to Punjab and Jharkhand to shoot Srijit Mukherji’s Begum Jaan in June, followed by a trip in August to Australia as brand ambassador of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. And now she’s in bed, recuperating and being lectured to by her parents. “My mom was telling me, ‘Is this the only way you’re going to take a break? Why don’t you learn?’ But this time, it was not my doing. Blame my producers and directors,” she laughs.
While on bed rest, balan is reading scripts, following the us presidential election campaign and itching to get back to dubbing for kahaani 2 and filming for the kamala das biopic, aami. “I’ve been sleeping a lot; I try to read but I fall asleep. No wonder I’m feeling a lot better,” says the actor, who looks fresh, her hair cascading around her face as she lounges on a comfy couch in the sea-side home she shares with husband and producer siddharth roy kapur in suburban mumbai. As we chat, balan, witty and warm as ever, gets candid about work, her marriage and baby plans.
Are you feeling better now?
I’m an intense actor and I like to take a break between films. After finishing Kahaani 2, I should have said I couldn’t start Begum Jaan immediately. But, I gave in. And it took a toll, especially because we were filming in Jharkhand in 45-46 degrees. I believe actors in Hollywood enroll for detox programmes after a film. But we don’t do any of that. We just keep jumping from one thing to the next. So, now I’m sleeping like I’ve never slept at all. I started watching Narcos finally, and I’m following the US presidential election campaign.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE GOODNESS OF GHEE
What: The Pure Cow Ghee range for babies with sensitive skin from Himalaya Babycare
Hello Hyderabad!
The Kaftan Company makes its debut in Hyderabad with a physical store
A COSMIC CULINARY JOURNEY
Located in the vibrant heart of Kolkata, That Place Bowl & Bar aims to be something out of the ordinary
BIG ON THE SCREEN
Writer-director INDIRA DHAR is no newcomer to international film festivals, but a standing ovation at Cannes for her latest film was an unforgettable experience. She talks to Shraddha Kamdar about the inspiration, her love for films and more
COMMAND RESPECT EFFORTLESSLY
Try these strategies if you hate not being taken seriously.
FIND CALM IN CHAOS
Deal with difficult situations using the principles of stoicism.
GREENER IN THE CUP
Samiksha Bhowmik details why a cup of matcha needs to be part of your diet
THE BEST OF TWO VIBRANT WORLDS
LYLA, in Mumbai's BKC, seamlessly blends Central American vibrancy with Californian flair
A Melange Of the Middle East & Indian Spices
Bringing contemporary twists to tradition, MERCHANT & ME is a youthful urban space for cuisine and cocktails in Pune
10 REASONS WHY SEYCHELLES COULD BE YOUR DREAM DESTINATION
Seychelles hits all the high notes on the romance roster whether you're on honeymoon or a love break.