New Delhi: It has taken actor Vidya Balan six years, but the versatile actress has established herself in the film industry as someone who can pull off listless scripts and cerebral roles deemed difficult for a mainstream actor to do. Her upcoming film 'The Dirty Picture', based on the life and times of southern sex siren Silk Smitha, is expected to be another milestone in Vidya's career.
Vidya is known for her clever and different selection of films. She has done roles in the past that other popular mainstream actors shied away from.
Since, her debut in Parineeta, she has experimented a lot with her characters. It has just been six years but she has shown courage and will to be known as one of the industry’s versatile actors.
This experimentation is crucial because Vidya is doing it in an era when established actors would be reluctant to change their popular public image.
Her first film 'Bhalo Theko' in Bengali had shown her as a lonely lover who wants to live life to the fullest but is abandoned by everyone. The way she had adapted to the requirements of the role, was a clear indication of what acting meant to her.
Vidya was a well known face till then, thanks to television commercials and serials. Then came Parineeta, her first Hindi film. It was again an unconventional role, and many prominent heroines had opted out of it. Lage Raho Munna Bhai and Guru did not have Balan in prominence but her role was again unusual. Salaam-e-Ishq, Hey Babyy and Kismat Konnection, are some of the films that show her as traditional Hindi film heroine, but her will to experiment remained.
From the physically challenged protagonist in Guru to Avni of Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Balan tried hard to flaunt her acting skills. Her cynical and apprehensive acting in Bhool Bhulaiyaa's "Ami Je Tomar" is going to remain with the audiences for a long time.
The director did not focus much on her in Eklavya, a film with a predominantly male actor-oriented plot; still she was honest to her part. Paa and Ishqiya gave her the chance to emerge as a powerful character artist. Her dialogue delivery in Ishqiya endeared her to directors who were looking for powerful actors to play female leads.
She might be criticized for her dress selection but she has remained true to her onscreen characters so far. It was Vidya's sheer conviction that made her stand her ground in Paa, a film strongly centered on Amitabh Bachchan.
No One Killed Jessica again showcased Balan in a salwar-kurti clad character, oil-slicked hair. She passed the Litmus test with flying colors. Although, Rani Mukherjee hogged the limelight in NOKJ, but that did not stop Vidya from standing tall.
Of course, Vidya has done some easily forgettable characters too, but overall her special choice of roles describes her as an actor brave enough to break the stereotypes. And The Dirty Picture holds much promise.
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