Vidya Balan is a genre. She has turned every stereotype of the Hindi film heroine on its head. Right from the beginning, she’s been the woman among the girls, the actor among the stars. Refusing to be pigeonholed into the blinkered notion of an actress, she’s broken free from formula. Refusing to conform to the anorexic definition of beauty, she’s comfortable celebrating her curves. To those who believe married actresses are archival material, hers is a renaissance worth documenting. Her protagonists are about dreams and dilemmas. Of ordinary women who embrace extraordinary experiences. Wowing audiences as scientist Tara Shinde in her latest hit, Mission Mangal, she’s now prepping to play math wizard, the late Shakuntala Devi… Excerpts…
Mission Mangal is your biggest commercial success. Comment.
True. I’m extremely grateful for it. I’m excited and joyous. I’m over the moon. I keep asking myself how can this get any better. I thank God, the Universe… Whatever you call that power, it’s been extremely kind to me. I feel blessed. The wide variety of roles that I’m being offered since the past 12 years, well, the scope has only been increasing. That’s exciting and gratifying for an actor.
What was the magic of your character, Tara Shinde, in Mission Mangal?
She’s unapologetically passionate about her job and yet committed to her family. She walks the tight rope between balancing her career and home. That’s what makes her relatable to working women. Also, she has a never-saydie attitude. She’s constantly on the go. She’s positive and optimistic. She’s got a wonderful outlook on life.
From playing the solo protagonist, what made you do a multi-starrer like Mission Mangal?
This story is from the October 2019 edition of Filmfare.
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 October 2019 edition of Filmfare.
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
Breaking free
NIKKHIL ADVANI'S MAKING WAVES WITH HIS OTT DEBUT, FREEDOM AT MIDNIGHT. HE TALKS ABOUT ITS GENESIS, HIS ASSOCIATION WITH KARAN JOHAR, AND WHAT'S REAL STARDOM WITH SRIJITA SEN
DECK THE HALLS
Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson join Tanzim Pardiwalla over a video call about their forthcoming Christmas film, Red One, possible Bollywood crossovers and their love for India
Class Act
NEHA DHUPIA SHARES THE SECRET OF JUGGLING MOTHERHOOD AND CAREER WHILE STAYING RELEVANT WITH FARHANA FAROOK
Deep end of the Ocean
Cancer survivor Mahima Chaudhary tells Farhana Farook that playing a similar person in The Signature proved cathartic for her
DESTINY'S WILD CHILD
ALAYA F CAUGHT IN A CONVERSATION WITH JITESH PILLAAI
SEOUL CONNECTION
Director Hwang Dong Hyuk and lead actors Lee Jung Jae and Wi Ha Joon of Squid Game fame talk about the global phenomenon with Tanzim Pardiwalla
"Smita was a victim.not a villain"
Manya Patil-Seth tells Farhana Farook why her late sister Smita Patil was a tragic contradiction – a pioneer of an actor but a prey of emotions
Best of Shatrughan Sinha's Rapid fire
With democracy facing a near-death situation in most of India's neighbouring countries, what, according to you, is the reason why Indian democracy is still standing strong in the current times? Gaurav Pant, New Delhi
THE RISE AND RISE OF PUSHPA 2
When Allu Arjun went to Patna around a month ago to showcase the trailer of Pushpa 2, naysayers mocked the move, stating that he's making a mistake about taking a Telugu film there. Guess what, the actor had the last laugh.
girl, uninterrupted
Fatima Sana Shaikh is so candid and forthright you don't believe she's a star.
