On the occasion of Vidya Balan`s 44th birthday, let`s take a look back at some of the memorable characters given by the vivacious and versatile superstar.
(Pic courtesy: Vidya Balan/ Instagram)
Vidya Balan is one of the most versatile female actors of Bollywood. Her unconventional persona and phenomenal acting skills makes Vidya stand apart from her other female counterparts in Bollywood. Right from masala entertainers to off-beat dramas, Vidya has delivered all. The actor who kickstarted her acting journey with popular Hindi sitcom, 'Hum Paanch' in 1995, made her big Bollywood debut with the critically-acclaimed romantic film, 'Parineeta' in 2005. Apart from her acting skills and on-screen charm, Vidya who encourages women to embrace self-love and practice body positivity, is also loved by her fans for showing-off her raw and unfiltered self on the social media. A natural performer who is an inspiration for budding actors, Vidya Balan is turning a year older today. On the occasion of Vidya Balan's 44th birthday, let's take a look back at some of the memorable characters given by the vivacious and versatile superstar.
Reshma: The Dirty Picture
One of the most iconic roles of Vidya Balan, in 2011 musical biographical drama, 'The Dirty Picture' Vidya Balan was seen essaying the role of Reshma -- an actor who rises to fame through sleazy songs and movies. The movie was inspired by the life of Silk Smitha, the late actor who was known for playing erotic roles on the silver screen. Vidya's acting skills were highly appreciated by the audience and critics equally and she was hailed as the 'hero of the film'. The movie which also starred
Emraan Hashmi and Tusshar Kapoor won several awards, most of which were won by Vidya Balan for her flawless portrayal of Silk Smitha.
Kahaani: Vidya Bagchi
The 2012 Sujoy Ghosh directorial which stars Vidya Balan as Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant woman who travels from London to Kolkata in search of her missing husband, is by far the best character of Vidya after Silk Smitha. The movie which stars
Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Parambrata Chatterjee in pivotal roles besides Balan, explores themes of feminism and motherhood in the male-dominated Indian society. The movie was declared a critical, as well as, a commercial hit and Vidya's acting performance was much appreciated by the audiences across the nation. While the movie won three National Film Awards and five Filmfare Awards, Vidya won the Filmfare Best Female Actor award for her powerful performance in the movie.
Parineeta: Lalita Roy
The 2005 romantic drama which marked Vidya Balan's Bollywood debut, stars Vidya as Lalita Roy was directed by Pradeep Sarkar and was adapted from the 1914 Bengali novella of the same name. Besides Vidya, the film also featured
Saif Ali Khan and
Sanjay Dutt in lead roles. The story of blockbuster romantic drama revolves around the lead characters, Lalita and Shekhar (Played by Saif). Lalita and Shekhar are friends since childhood, but slowly their friendship blossoms into love. A series of misunderstandings surface and they get separated because of family pressure. The movie received critical acclaim and Vidya bagged the Filmfare Best Debut Actor award. Vidya's debut movie was showcased at several international film festivals.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa: Manjulika
The movie which cemented Vidya Balan's place as a powerful performer in Bollywood, 'Bhool Bhulaiya' is looked upon as the best cult horror comedy produced by Bollywood. The 2007 horror comedy which was directed by Priyadarshan gave Vidya one of her iconic roles -- Manjulika. The movie which was a remake of the 1993 Malayalam movie, 'Manichitrathazhu', also starred
Akshay Kumar, Shiney Ahuja. Ameesha Patel, Paresh Rawal, Manoj Joshi, late veteran actor Vikram Gokhale and Raj Pal Yadav in key roles. Besides impressing critics and fans, the movie took the box office by storm. Vidya who brilliantly switches from Avni to Manjulika, truly deserves all the praises for her powerhouse performance.
