With ‘Ishqiya’, Vidya Balan redefines ‘sexy’ in Bollywood

Post hits like ‘Paa’ and ‘Ishqiya’, Vidya Balan has become the new flavour of Bollywood. A perfect mix of style and sensuality, Vidya is the thinking man’s muse and the new sensation of tinsel town. Talking to a news daily on her newfound stardom, Vidya said, “It feels good as I can sense a certain vindication in my father’s eyes." Talking about her upcoming projects, Vidya is thrilled to be a part of ‘No One Killed Jessica.’

Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai: Post hits like ‘Paa’ and ‘Ishqiya’, Vidya Balan has become the new flavour of Bollywood. A perfect mix of style and sensuality, Vidya is the thinking man’s muse and the new sensation of tinsel town. Talking to a news daily on her newfound stardom, a bemused Vidya said, “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.” Success was never easy for Vidya as the actress struggled to break from the mould of candy floss cinema. Even after ‘Parineeta’ and ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai,’ Vidya courted all sorts of controversies, all thanks to her ‘not so happening’ career moves and kitschy wardrobes as she said, “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.” A poised Vidya continued, “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. Once, Balki 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.” Talking about her upcoming projects, Vidya is thrilled to be a part of ‘No One Killed Jessica’, “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,” emphasises Vidya. An actress, whose on-screen icons include the likes of Waheeda Rehman, Rekha, Hema Malini, Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit, Vidya wants to be remembered like her favourite stars as she finally added, “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.”