Vidya Balan believes that unlike in earlier times, audiences are willing to accept older actresses, as films now are depicting different stages of life instead of just focussing on the allure of youth.
The National Award-winning actress said, “Things are no longer the same for 30-plus actresses now as all kinds of films are being made depicting different stages of life.”
“I think audiences are very ready,” she said, when asked about the changes that she has noticed regarding 30-plus actresses in Bollywood. “There were times when there were only love stories, and no matter how old the male actors were, the actresses were getting younger and younger. But that’s no longer the case now. People are accepting women in every stages. We are accepting that they can be interesting and desirable even when they are in their thirties. So, I feel acceptability has really increased for actresses.”
Having made her cinematic debut in 2005 with Parineeta , an adaptation of a 1914 eponymous Bengali novel, Ms Balan has proved her versatility through many of her roles. Whether it was the manipulative Krishna of Ishqiya ; the strong-willed Sabrina in No One Killed Jessica ; Vidya, a woman on mission in Kahaani ; an unwed mother in Paa ; and the bolder-than-the-boldest Silk in The Dirty Picture , she impressed audiences and critics alike. Her most recent film was Mohit Suri’s Hamari Adhuri Kahani, in which she played a married woman, also a victim of domestic violence. Ms Balan will next be seen in TE3N and the Kahaaani sequel.
Ms Balan feels marriage is no longer a hindrance in getting films; her own marriage — to producer Siddharth Roy Kapur — has not harmed her career. “Even I used to think that once you get married, you get [fewer] films, but that’s not true. I have been getting a lot of exciting roles in the three years since I got married.” She asked young girls should not get affected by criticism. “I was judged on the basis of my appearance. I remember the time when I started wearing saris; I was told young actresses should not wear saris.” — IANS
I remember the time when I started wearing saris; I was told young actresses should not wear saris
Vidya Balan
