LACK OF COMEDIES WRITTEN WITH WOMEN IN MIND

Vidya Balan wants to explore the comedy genre more and has no plans to become a producer

- ANINDITA ACHARYA

Vidya Balan's journey in cinema is a story of resilience, belief and quiet triumph. She fondly recalled an unforgettable moment during her early days, while shooting an advertisement with Pradeep Sarkar. After their first night of filming, the filmmaker said to her, "Yeh larki, tere saath picture banaunga." But Vidya, weary from repeated rejections, dismissed it as mere words.

"By then, rejection had almost become second nature to me," she confessed. Yet, Sarkar stayed true to his promise, casting her as Lalita in 'Parineeta' (2005), an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel. "Dada had faith in me at a time when I didn't have faith in myself," Vidya shared, her voice filled with gratitude.

Even Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the producer of 'Parineeta,' initially hesitated to back a newcomer from Chembur, Maharashtra. But the film became a landmark in Vidya's career, establishing her as a performer of extraordinary depth and grace.