What Vidya Balan wants to tell Bollywood

Brut India

"We want them to look like nubile nymphets." Jalsa star Vidya Balan talks to Brut about women, body types, and the questions she's tired of answering.

Transcript

00:00I definitely want an NG like Ajay Devgn gets in his films.

00:03Kya ab aapko lagta hai ki aapke filmon mein male hero ki zarurat nahi hai?

00:10We want them to look like nubile nymphs even when they are in their 80s, for God's sake.

00:18Because I grew up a fat girl.

00:19Hi, this is Vidya Balan for Brood.

00:22Kya ab aapko lagta hai ki aapke filmon mein male hero ki zarurat nahi hai?

00:34I've been asked this question for the past 14 years.

00:38Let me turn the question on its head and you're a male star.

00:42Kya aapko lagta hai ab aapke filmon mein female lead ki zarurat nahi hai?

00:46I guess kabhi thi hi nahi.

00:53The kind of cinema that I do, we'd love bigger budgets.

00:57So we're able to open up a canvas of the so-called women-centric cinema to tell also larger-than-life stories.

01:07I think now we're doing the more personal, intimate kind of stories.

01:12It is far more difficult for us to get bigger budgets.

01:17I don't think it's just Hindi cinema.

01:22I think the world over there is an obsession with the thin body.

01:26But I think we have to realize that there is no ideal body type.

01:30Everyone must strive for fitness, but not for a particular body type because you can't fight the body you've been born with.

01:38I think if we all just accepted and respected our bodies more,

01:44and gave gratitude for the fact that our bodies keep us alive,

01:49then we'd probably be happier people.

01:57Barfi is a film that I would have loved to do as Barfi.

02:01Of course, Ranbir Kapoor leaves no scope for anyone to better his act because he's so brilliant.

02:13I would have loved to play Mr. India, but I would have also loved to play Seema, Sridevi's role in it.

02:19I definitely want an entry like Ajay Devgn gets in his films.

02:24I didn't come from a film family and I wanted to be an actor.

02:28And I was ready to wait it out for the universe to make things happen for me because I was scared to chase this dream.

02:38I graduated out of Xavier's. I also ended up doing an MA in Sociology.

02:42I didn't want to complete my college. I was getting work as an actor.

02:46And I remember I told my parents and they said nothing do it.

02:49I was a bit thrown off when I heard the narration because I felt like, oh, she seems morally ambiguous.

02:56And none of the characters I've played have been morally ambiguous.

02:59I think that was the challenge of how to humanize and not demonize her.

03:04I'd like to say to any woman who's going to be watching this, just be kind to yourself.

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