‘Parineeta’, whenever you hear this word, only one name floats towards your consciences, Vidya Balan. The Indian actress who is still sometimes recognized by her debut movie has successfully encrypted her name in the books of Hindi cinema under the ‘swift rise to fame’ section. A powerhouse of talent, Vidya has proven her mettle in almost all the projects she has undertaken. However, like her other fellow achievers she too has to undergo the long journey to success.
Biography
Born into the Tamil family of Iyer community, Vidya had her feet firmly planted in the ground owing to her middleclass upbringing. Her family consists of her father P.R.Balan, vice-president of ETC channel, a house maker for a mother and an elder married sister, Priya. Her hometown is in Palaghat located on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Later, when she was still very young, her family shifted base to Chembur, Mumbai.
Vidya completed her schooling from the St. Anthony’s Convent School. Finishing her graduation in sociology from St. Xavier’s College she went on to acquire masters in the same from Bombay University. Vidya’s wish came true when she got her first ever break in a Malayalam movie ‘chakram’ opposite her favorite star Mohan Lal. Then in 1998, she did her foremost commercial for Surf Excel. A series of over 25 other commercials And 3 music videos for Euphoria, Shubha Mudgal and Pankaj Udhas later all of whom were directed by Pradeep Sarkar followed suit. Whiling away the time before her onscreen debut took place, Vidya on a spree turned her wheels towards television. Her stint consisted of Ekta Kapoor’s ‘Hum Paanch’ and renowned director Ashok Pandit’s ‘Hanste Khelte’
By 2006 she had already done a super hit Bengali movie by the name ‘Bhalo Theko’ opposite Joy Sengupta which brought her the Anand Lok Puruskar award for best actress.
The wheels were turning for her and at a pop concert in Mumbai she was finally approached by acclaimed producer and director Vidhu Vinod Chopra for the lead role in ‘Parineeta’. It also earned her the Filmfare best debutant award and a nomination in the best actress category. Since then she has acted in several movies like Lage Raho Munnabhai and Hey Baby with appreciation for every performance.
Despite her hectic schedule, vidya still finds time to work for the upliftment of children and is associated with organizations like American Aids Research, Hali House etc. A keen believer in Bhagvan Shri Sai Baba, Vidya is proficient in various lingoes Hindi, English, Bengali, Urdu and her mother tongue Tamil and Malayalam.
Her astounding debut and knack for acting showcases her jest and dedication towards her work. Vidya has surely taken on the film industry by storm and is here to stay for a long long time adorning us with much more entertainment and quality cinema.
