Icameintofilms Vidyabalan
MUMBAI: From playing a sari-clad lady in her debut film Parineeta to essaying mother to megastar Amitabh Bachchan in Paa – National Award-winning actor Vidya Balan has taken on myriad roles all in just 12 years of her Bollywood career. Now geared to be seen as a fullof-life housewife in Tumhari Sulu, she says she is unapologetic about her age and happy that she never tried to “act” like a teenager on screen.
“I came into the film industry as a woman at the age of 26. Now I am a happy 38-year-old lady. I have been married for five years. I am not apologetic about my age and I know there will always be some work for me in whichever age I am. I have never tried to act like a teenager, but you know what, it was never a conscious decision,” Vidya said. Hasn’t she missed out on playing the roles a quintessential Bollywood heroine is known for?
“The role of a teenager and dancing around the trees never excites me... They never did. What excites me is now I can experiment with roles and characters being in my age. Perhaps that also makes writer like Suresh Triveni to write a character like Sulu and approach me for the film,” Vidya said.
But isn’t choosing certain kinds of films limiting her talent? Or is that giving her more room for experimentation?
“I am experimenting in my way. In a year, I have three films and each character is different from one another. Last November, I had a Kahaani 2, in March this year I had Begum Jaan and now Tumhari Sulu is coming. So yes, I am doing enough experimentation as a performer.”
The story of Tumari Sulu – releasing on November 17 – revolves around a middle-aged ordinary housewife Sulochona aka Sulu who is a happy-golucky person with an extraordinary calibre.
“I love how easily she can laugh, how enthusiastic she is. Though she is a homemaker, she is always looking for something more from life. She has a list of hobbies and she always wants to try every opportunity that is coming her way. In fact, that is how she lands up in a radio station and gets a job as a radio jockey.”