Don’t want my so-called unconventionality to stand in the way: Vidya Balan


Team Udayavani, Aug 10, 2019, 10:47 AM IST

Image for Representation

Mumbai: Vidya Balan has earned many adjectives in her career but the actor says she does not want anything to define her.

The actor, who made her film debut at the age of 26, says she kept hearing that female stars had a short shelf life, a discussion that has, thankfully, become redundant with time.

“Change was underway and I became the face of that change because I was at the right moment at the right place… The age of 26 is normally the age when actors were packing their bags, getting married and settling down. When I entered I was like, ‘Will my career be for few years?’ And people would tell me that the career span of an actress is very short. I was like, I want to act all my life.

“I am 40 today and it’s been 14 years and the going is good. It is because of the self belief. My career will last until I am alive. There will be roles for me at every point of time as long as I want it to happen. I have always been the most important person in my life so I was okay playing hero on-screen,” Vidya said in a group interview.

The actor, who has pushed the female narrative forward with hits such as “Parineeta”, “Paa”, “Ishqiya”, “No One Killed Jessica”, “Kahaani” and “Tumhari Sulu”, among many others, says looking back, she can never pinpoint the moment of change in her career other than the desire to do good roles.

“It was the hunger that nothing can stop me, (certainly) not the fact that people call me unconventional. I don’t want my so-called unconventionality to stand in the way or that I don’t have a typical body of a heroine. I don’t want my entering the industry at the age of 26 to stand in the way of me having a long career. It is all about what you put out in the universe,” she says.

Vidya says the notion of how a typical hero or heroine should behave has changed a lot in the recent years thanks to social media.

“There were few women who recognised their strength and power before but now they are more educated, going out and living life on their terms, overcoming obstacles, and achieving success. So there are are more stories to tell.

“He (hero) doesn’t have to have ten limbs, he doesn’t have to woo the heroine and bash ten people up and have a heart a gold. He can be a flawed person who is overcoming his own limitations to lead the life he wants to, to win the love he want to and to send spacecraft or satellite to the Mars. Social media has made us realise that each one of us can be a hero, each voice matters.”

Vidya next stars in “Mission Mangal”, alongside an ensemble cast of Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Nithya Menen, Kirti Kulhari, Sharman Joshi, and Sonakshi Sinha.

The film is scheduled to be released on Independence Day.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board

After Yogi’s ‘batenge, katenge’ slogan, PM pitches for unity with ‘Ek hai, toh safe hai’ message

“Coming soon.. 2025”: KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty announce first pregnancy

Mangaluru: Unauthorized bus stops at signals fuel traffic woes and safety concerns

SC notice to Karnataka, DK Shivakumar on CBI plea against withdrawal of consent by state govt

Will remain active in politics till my last breath: JD(S) patriarch & ex-PM Deve Gowda

BJP calls Congress govt ‘laughing stock’ as ‘samosa politics’ heats up in Himachal

Related Articles More

“Coming soon.. 2025”: KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty announce first pregnancy

Ananya Panday wears mother’s 21-yr-old suit by Rohit Bal in tribute to late designer

Suniel Shetty ‘absolutely fine’ after minor injury on set, thanks fans for love

Shah Rukh Khan receives threat, Mumbai police file case

Kerala police give clean chit to actor Nivin Pauly in rape case

MUST WATCH

Gho Pooja in Deepavali Festival

Melukote Deepavali

Ganapathi Co-operative Society Ltd

Udayavani Chinnara Banna 2024

Annapoorna Aahar | Food Places In Mysore


Latest Additions

BCCI vs PCB spar on CT venue as Naqvi denies receiving any official note from Indian board

Use Carnatic music to promote Kannada language: Nirmala Sitharaman

Udupi: Car collides with bike; Rider injured

UP women’s body proposes men shouldn’t tailor women’s clothes or cut their hair

NSE, BSE to be closed on Nov 20 for Maharashtra assembly polls

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.