I believe in monogamy, says Vidya

Vidya Balan has been part of a variety of genres and myriad subjects in her career so far. The actor has made sure to not be repetitive with her choice of roles. After dabbling into genres such as drama, thriller, and comedy, is there a particular genre that she would like to attempt now? “Maybe if someone offers me something that blows my mind, something that I’ve not been able to imagine so far,” she says. “When Tumhari Sulu (2017) was offered to me, it felt like a breath of fresh air. But there is no particular genre as such. I am open in that sense. I don’t have rigid ideas about what I want to do next or who I want to work with,” adds the actor, who played a housewife-turned-radio jockey in the film.

So is she impulsive about making her decision of signing a movie or does she think these things through? “I take time to figure how I am feeling about a story. But mostly it’s instinctive. And also to sift through all the rubbish that comes through, it takes time.”

Vidya has always stated that she likes to take a break after playing one character before stepping into the shoes of another. But would she take up two roles simultaneously, if they’re equally exciting and offered around the same time? “I can’t do it. I believe in monogamy

(laughs). I can’t deal with two people at the same time. I wonder how actors did it back in the day. Thankfully, from the beginning of my career, I’ve done one film at a time. Now, I do one film a year, usually. It’s too demanding and exhausting otherwise. So I am incapable of doing that,” says the Kahaani 2 (2016) actor.

Talking about revisiting her old films, Vidya says, “When it’s on TV, invariably I miss it, because I don’t watch TV that much. But once in a while, there are some films of mine that I’ve revisited. So just as a film, I enjoy watching some of them. Not just for myself honestly, but more as a film. Paa (2009) is a film I’ve revisited a few times, because I love it. There are some films I’ve not seen after release at all, and some I’ve seen for the films that they are.”

I can’t deal with two people at the same time. I wonder how actors did it back in the day. From the beginning of my career, I’ve done one film at a time. VIDYA BALAN ACTOR

PHOTO: RICK ROY