From Geeky to Ooh-La-La: Journey of Vidya Balan

“I am reverse ageing. I was born a woman, am now a little girl” –Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan was born in Palakkad, Kerala, and her father was Vice President of the ETC Channel, which allowed her to grow up in Mumbai.

Her First Attempt at Acting

She debuted her acting career with a Malayalam movie with none other than Padmashri Dr. Mohanlal, but the movie was shelved.

Then she signed a Tamil movie; unfortunately, she was replaced by another actress.

She was also replaced in the movie Manasellam due to her “non-performance” by Trisha Krishnan.

“I was considered a JINX.“
–Vidya

Surf Excel Hai Na!

Vidya abandoned her movie career after facing so much criticism and headed towards the world of advertisements.

She made a series of ads with director Pradeep Sarkar.

“Fame didn’t come to me so easily.”
-Vidya Balan

Kabhi Aana Tu Meri Gali.

She appeared in Euphoria’s hit music video ‘Kabhi Aana Tu Meri Gali,‘ and later on, she also appeared in music videos with Shubha Mudgal and Pankaj Udhas.

Her TV Debut as the Nerdy Girl: Radhika Mathur

If you are an 80’s child, you must remember the sitcom aired on Zee Tv, Hum Paanch. 

And if you were born in the nineties, you were lucky enough to catch the second season of this hit comedy serial in 2005. All the characters in the serial became so popular. But only one girl went on to become the fourth-Khan ‘First Balan‘ of this industry.

“Well, the Khans can now add Balan at the end of their names, instead of me adding Khan to my name.“
– Vidya Balan

Piyu Bole, Piya Bole.

“I had to give 60 screen tests for Parineeta.”

When Pradeep Sarkar decided to cast a model and small-time actress who sold low-cost detergent as Lolita, it raised many eyebrows. But when it hit the theaters, everyone loved the intensity of her gaze and her sense of grace. She swept every Best Debut award in the country, and every filmmaker began fashioning spaces for her in their films.

She Never Looked Back Since Then

Lage Raho Munnabhai, Guru, Bhool Bhulaiya, Heyy Babyy were some of her commercial hits.

And Then Entered PAA

Everyone thought that Vidya Balan’s career as an actress was over when she had to play the mother of Amitabh Bachchan. But her strong performance took everyone by surprise.

Entertainment, Entertainment… Entertainment 😉

In a country full of prudes, Vidya confidently portrayed the character of a voluptuous, bold, raunchy sex symbol in The Dirty Picture, for which she even won a National Award.

Shaadi Ke ‘NO’ Side Effects

“A married actress is hotter because she is like the forbidden fruit.” 

In 2012, she married the head of UTV, Siddharth Roy Kapur.

“I have become more shameless after marriage.”
-Vidya Balan

Jury Member at Cannes

She was also one of the jury members at the Cannes Film Festival, a RARE HONOUR.

Talk About a Transformation, huh?

From This…

To This..

And Now here we are..

Must say, Vidya has come a LONG way..

The girl who directors dropped from a movie for her “non-performance” has left everyone spellbound.

“If you really wish for something, don’t hold on to the wish. Instead,  send it out in the universe; let the universe do the rest of the conspiracy.”

-Vidya Balan

Last Updated on August 30, 2023 by