Vidya Balan, known for her powerhouse performances and resilience, has opened up about the early struggles of her acting journey. While promoting her upcoming film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, she shared with Galatta India a particularly painful memory from her early years when she was abruptly replaced in a Tamil film after just two days of shooting.
When Balan, accompanied by her parents, approached the film’s producer in Chennai for an explanation, he responded in a way that deeply impacted her self-esteem. As she recalled, the producer remarked to her parents, “Dekho, kisi angle se heroine dikhti hai (Does she look like a heroine from any angle)? She doesn’t know how to act or dance.”
Balan, stunned by the comment, remembered thinking, “First let me act and dance; I hardly shot for the film.”
Vidya shared that the comments affected her confidence for months. She noted, “For six months, I didn’t look at myself in the mirror because I felt ugly. If you want to reject someone, do that, but always be kind with your words because words have the power to be really very damaging or nurturing. I will never forget that.”
The experience, though painful, taught Balan an essential life lesson about kindness. She reflected, “It was an early lesson in life to be kind to people because he really destroyed my self-image for six months.”
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Balan’s career started with humble beginnings on television, where she appeared on Hum Paanch in 1995. However, her dream of transitioning to the big screen was fraught with obstacles. After her debut in the Bengali film Bhalo Theko (2003), she rose to fame with Parineeta, where her compelling performance alongside Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt marked her as an actress of substance.
Her roles in The Dirty Picture (2011), which won her a National Film Award, and Kahaani (2012) cemented her position as a trailblazer for female-led narratives in Bollywood.
Balan has also shared that her journey involved a fair share of rejections and dismissals, as directors and producers frequently told her she didn’t “look the part.” Such instances could have deterred many, but Vidya’s self-belief and commitment to her craft only grew stronger.
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She continued to audition and push forward, gradually reshaping Bollywood’s perception of female leads and championing stories with strong, nuanced female characters.
In her latest project, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Balan returns to the popular franchise alongside Kartik Aaryan, who reprises his role as Rooh Baba. The Anees Bazmee-directed film, also starring Madhuri Dixit, is set to release this Diwali.
While her career has spanned decades, Balan’s grounded attitude and candidness about the challenges she faced serve as an inspiration for many emerging actors. Her story highlights that resilience and hard work often bring success, even when the odds seem stacked against you.
