Three Lessons Women Can Learn From Vidya Balan

By Surabhi S

vidya balan

Vidya Balan

When I first watched Parineeta, I loved her demure, coy character that she essayed perfectly in the old world charming way. After the movie, she seemed to pause for some time. And so did I as far as noticing her was concerned. Then came Lage Raho Munnabai and I think she was comparable to Gauri, the lead actress of the movie’s prequel.

I again started taking notice of her when several (read numerous) people told me that I looked like Vidya Balan. She was not my favourite actress or anything (no one was for that matter) but I still liked her and quietly wanted her to succeed. I agree it had more to do with the resemblance people found between me and her.

During this time, I watched most of her films and realised the immense talent and sheer confidence this woman had. Now that she has emerged as a strong actress who truly knows what is what, I think it is time we learn from her.

Beauty is How You Feel About Yourself

Her haircut in Kismet Konnection and her dressing sense in HeyyBaby were starkly criticised and Vidya was repeated, easily and consecutively called ‘worst dressed Bollywood celebrity’ by all fashion and film magazines unanimously. But it did not irk the actress. Why? She knew who she was.
She says she learnt a lesson from Heyy Baby movie realizing that people want to see her natural self. And since then she has never made attempts to wear somebody else’s image. Her strength lies in her beautiful, innocuous Indian face and she knows it. Watch her in later films like Ishkiya, Paa or No one killed Jessica and you see her beauty.

In the capricious wardrobe and figure conscious Bollywood, Vidya never even tried to come anywhere close to the perfect 24-36-24 metrics or PYT (Pretty, Young, Thin) obsession. When we have heroines endorsing honey for svelte figure or Kareena Kapoor rushing to Payal Gidwani to be able to shed all the flesh on her body, our ‘grown’ Vidya Balan happily puts on lofty 12 kgs! And despite this, she doesn’t shy away from showing off her paunch.

This shows that Vidya Balan does not need standards to be touted as beautiful. She knows she is beautiful and we can’t dare to disagree. Not to forget it is her beauty beneath the skin that makes her look adorable even in the most voyeuristic movie of the industry so far.

Risks Only Make You Stronger

Our pretty lady entered the filmdom at the time when most heroines reach the pinnacle. At 27, she got her first break in movies!

Today at 33, she only stands taller and stronger than many of her peers. And that too despite the belly, ugly dressing sense but oodles of talent.

Just 4 years and six movies later, she plays the character of an unwed mother of a progeric teenager – a very unusual move for any top actress. Balan has always broken the stereotypes and we just want her to keep doing that.

Keeping Focus and Values Intact Help You Grow

She stays with her parents; has never been heard back biting about somebody; never seen in any kind of rat race and never been linked with any co-star of hers.

Vidya manages to stay controversy-less in Bollywood that arguable thrives on rumors and controversies.

It is her focus on work that sees her portraying different yet substantial roles in movies. Her strong values govern the way she plays the roles with diligence and femineity. She always gives her full heart and soul to her roles and that is why she has established herself as a earthy and real actress.
Finally to quote Ms. Balan herself, ‘a woman is as much about her body and curves as she is about strength, emotionality and sensitivity’.

No wonder even Karan Johar who never ever breaks the stereotypes tweeted about Vidya ‘Every mainstream actress needs a grand lesson from Vidya Balan on how to submit and give your heart and soul to a role. She is beyond words.’

Surabhi Surendra, lives in Andamans and blogs at Womanatics. She would be delighted if you like her Facebook page or follow her on Twitter.

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70 thoughts on “Three Lessons Women Can Learn From Vidya Balan

  1. I love Vidya Balan!!! She is confidence personified and as u said she has gone beyond those standard terms of beauty :jaiho: :jaiho: :jaiho:

  2. well written. I used to think she was kinda fake what with her wierd laughter and all and then she came on Koffee with karan and beat rani Mukherjee hollow in terms of charm and wit and looks. In a saree she looked more beautiful than Rani who is on this major ‘western clothes’ trip.

    i so agree with your article that she does stand tall and that it goes time and again to prove that Talent will take you everywhere. and anyways most of these models-tunred-actresses all look the same. the obession with size 0 just needs to stop for one thing and its certainly a lesson for all of us who so easily get jealous looking at someone else’s figure. being fit is certainly more important.

    (sorry for that major gyan..it just touched a nerve somewhere)

  3. i like her a lot for her classic indian lookz…but at tyms she acts quite :dumb: :dumb: :dumb: :dumb: :dumb: still her features r typically indigenous… i like her wrapped in a pretty sari.. :jaiho: :jaiho: :jaiho: :jaiho: :jaiho: :jaiho: :jaiho: :jaiho:

  4. I love her since Parineeta. She is an effortless beauty. In the recent movie The Dirty Picture if any other actress would have been in her place the movie would have turned out definitely something else. But she is a natural actor to carry the movie single handedly on her shoulders without making it look cheap with her stupendous acting.

  5. Hello,
    Rati. I’m Aaliya Shekh from Jaipur. Recently i came across to your blog. And really you are doing very good job. This blog is so informative and so useful. Thanks you so much for this blog. I’m daily leaving comments but its like ” your comments is waiting for moderation”. and really i was so upset. but now i’m happy. :thanks:

  6. very nicely written, I didn’t use to like her initially, but then there was something really attractive about vidya, which kept me hooked on to her movies. she has this mystery surrounding her, i guess, which is a major draw for me, along with her oratorial skills, which are droolworthy. She is truly a class in herself.

    1. Kumkum..

      Actually I have written this article on IMBB.. Rati ka naam galti se aa gaya hai.. so the praise is all mine.. :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

      I hope they correct the name soon.. 🙂

  7. Well written!!! Its very straight-from-the-heart :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo:
    I love Vidya the most for wearing Sarees confidently (n looking amazing) in an era when ppl try to shy away from Indian wear as much as possible… I loved her in Parineeta n yet to see The Dirty Picture. True she tried to join in the commercial route for a while with Kismet Konnection but she has found that she can look amazing in Indian wear n thats her strength..

  8. I love her eyes, they are so captivating…………and her dance skills came out so well in bhul bhulaiya
    she just makes a character come alive ………..i even saw no one killed jessica, even in her totally deglam look, she was classy

  9. I loved Vidya’s attitude in Dirty Picture.
    I really adore her for the challenge she has taken by accepting that role. She looks gorgeous in sarree.. :love: :love: ..
    She has stopped doing worthless movies like (Kismat konnectn)..
    She is indeed very pretty and has the right attitude to carry herself :waytogo: :waytogo:

    1. ok surabhi… i love such artilce :puchhi: :puchhi: :puchhi: :puchhi: 2 u… plz do continue ths job… :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo:

  10. Surabhi :jaiho: :jaiho: :jaiho:
    beautifully written. I luv her since her Pareenita days…n u know wht even many of my friends tell me i resemble her. haha :high5: :preen:
    jokes apart,she is one hell of an actress n her sarees are so drool worthy :drool: :drool: :drool: luv you for writing this up :puchhi:

  11. Vidya is different from the crowd n she knows her potential well… :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: :waytogo: she is beautiful and really one actress after kajol to be different :methinks: :methinks: :methinks: :methinks: :methinks: she is my fav apart from being Dolly Dolly only one really knw hw to act too hai na :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

  12. u resemble vidya :woot: :woot: :woot: :woot: pz put up a pic here… :specs: :specs: :specs:
    i too think i kept liking vidiya with each & every film of his n hr latest blockbuster had made all the critics shut thier mouths :thumbsup: :thumbsup: … I adore her talent & acting :inlove: … very wel compiled article surabhi :whistle: :whistle:

  13. Brilliant article, Surabhi! :thumbsup: I am a huge Vidya Balan fan. :woot: She’s a classic example of how you can be completely yourself and still be successful anywhere you go. :toothygrin: She inspires me to prefer substance over fake style. :jaiho:

  14. I think tht Vidya Balan has been a highly underrated actor :haanji: …although she is not as thin and picture perfect as most of our heroines :preen: , she is unique in her own way :makeup: ….. and i love her fr that…..being thin does nt always mean sexy and attractive in fact being thin shud be associated with staying healthy….. Thanks fr sharing this article Surabhi …..hope to read some more in the future :thumbsup: :puchhi:

  15. lovely article and very well written…I agree with every point of yours – her beauty, confidence and courage in choosing roles where others would nt even want to hear the script…lovely…I truly like her way of working and yes her values … living with parents is the most impressive of all…thanks for the article…. have a nice evening.. :yes: :yes: :yes:

  16. i totally respect vidya balan for who she is. especially after I have seen dirty picture i think she is given everyone such a great lesson about loving your own self. and i find her extremely beautiful, especially she look breathtakingly beautiful in parineeta. :))

    great article surabhi. 🙂

  17. very nice article!!
    I love Vidya Balan! She’s one of my fav actor!!
    I haven’t watched Dirty Picture yet, bt totally love her since parineeta, then lage raho munna bhai, No one killed jessica and Paa ofcuz!
    she KNOWS how to act!! (unlike many others :|)
    I love to see her in sarees! she’s very beautiful! I’m a FAN!!! :jaiho: :jaiho:

      1. Gargi..

        Thanks for liking the article.

        I think VB is different because she has always tried different things and criticism just doesnot affect her at all.. 🙂

        1. you are right! I read an article about her. She has gone through so much. was considered as a ‘bad luck’ in the industry and lost many projects just because of the superstition! But she didn’t lose hope, and look where she’s now!
          I totally RESPECT her!! :waytogo: :waytogo:

  18. Good insight surabhi 🙂 ..I am reading your blog, all the article are simple and conveying 🙂 .. now you have 1 more subscriber for your e-book 🙂

    1. Nidhi..

      So so so sweet of you dearie. You just made my day. I would appreciate if you could like the page too and start commenting on my articles to keep me going. Thanks a ton again. :thanks:

  19. A very well-written article,Surabhi!Kudos to you for that!
    Vidya is definitely above many actresses of her times. The confidence with which she’s done something totally out of the box like Dirty Picture shows how much she trusts her own self to be able to pull off any role at any time with ease. I think she has a lesson to teach in terms of self confidence as well. She’s fat but she doesnt let her physical statistics mar her confidence. Her voice, her smile, her charisma and her acting skills will definitely take her a long way ahead. Personally, I like the Sabyasachi sarees that she sports, she looks awesome in those!

  20. A very well written article,Surabhi! :clap: I’m a fan of Vidya Balan for the reasons you’ve mentioned. Her confidence is something I admire and desperately want.The fact that she took up a project like The Dirty Picture and still managed to have the same air about her is proof enough that she is talented and…well…amazing! :woot: :woot:

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