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Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan (Tamil: வித்யா பாலன்; born 1 January 1978) is an Indian film actress, who appears in Bollywood films. After graduating in sociology, she began her career starring in many music videos, soap operas and many commercials, before appearing in feature films.

Balan made her acting debut in the Bengali film, Bhalo Theko in 2003, for which she won critical acclaim. She later made her Hindi film debut with Parineeta (2005), her performance in which earned her a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award as well as her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination. She subsequently essayed a variety of character roles, receiving her first commercial success with Rajkumar Hirani’s Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), and followed it with Heyy Babyy (2008) and Bhool Bhulaiya (2008), the latter earning her another nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Actress. In 2009, she appeared in R. Balki’s Paa, her portrayal of a single-mother of a progeric child in the film got her high critical acclaim and eventually her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

Early life

Born into a Tamil-speaking Iyer family in Palakkad, Kerala to P. R. Balan (Vice President of ETC Channel) and a housewife mother. She has an elder sister, Priya. In a video interview, she stated that she is “extremely spiritual”, and visits temple every Friday.

She did her schooling at St. Anthony’s School, Chembur, Mumbai and later at St. Xavier’s College from where she graduated in sociology. She was then doing her MA at the University of Mumbai, when she got her first film offer.

Career

Early career

Her acting career started when she was signed to appear in the Malayalam film Chakram, alongside Mohanlal but the film was shelved. After that, she was signed for a Tamil film, Run, but for reasons undisclosed, she was dropped after a first schedule and replaced by Meera Jasmine. When Chakram was restarted with Prithviraj in the lead, Meera Jasmine was chosen ahead of Balan again. Balan was dropped from her second Tamil film Manasellam opposite Srikanth, on the grounds of ‘non-performance’ and was replaced by Trisha Krishnan.

She then turned to television advertising. From 1998 onwards, she appeared in numerous television ads, many of which were directed by Pradeep Sarkar. She also took supporting roles in music videos, appearing with singers and bands such as Euphoria, Shubha Mudgal, and Pankaj Udhas. Balan also portrayed the role of Radhika Mathur in a few episodes of the first season of Hum Paanch, but was later replaced by Amita Nangia at the end of the first season.

Turning point, 2005-present

In 2003, she appeared in the Bengali film, Bhalo Theko directed by Goutam Halder , for which she won the Anandalok Puraskar Best Actress award in Kolkata. Balan next made her Hindi film debut in the critically acclaimed Parineeta. Her performance in that film was acclaimed by critics, earning her a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award and a nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award. After the success of her first two films, the same producer who dropped her from Manasellam was keen to sign her opposite Kamal Hassan for Dasavathaaram but she rejected the offer and Asin Thottumkal was signed instead. In 2006, she appeared opposite Sanjay Dutt in the blockbuster film Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Once again her performance was well received by critics and the film went on to become the second highest grossing film of that year.

Mani Ratnam’s critically acclaimed Guru was Balan’s first release in 2007, in which she played a woman suffering from Multiple sclerosis. The film did very well at the box office and her role was appreciated. Her next two releases, Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love (2007) and Eklavya: The Royal Guard (2007) failed to do well but the latter was selected as India’s official entries to the Oscars for the 80th Academy Awards. Balan’s last two releases of the year, Heyy Babyy (2007) and Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007) fared very well at the box office.

Her performance in Paa was highly appreaciated and her performance in the film won her the Filmfare Best Actress Award and Screen Best Actress Award. Her next release was Ishqiya, where she played a very different role, also got excellent reviews. Her current project is entitled Chenab Gandhi directed by Vibhu Puri and written by Bhavani Iyer, who also wrote for Black. A departure from romance, this songless film revolves around three characters played by Amitabh Bachchan, Rajeev Khandelwal and Vidya Balan and centers around Indian freedom fighter, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, also known as Frontier Gandhi.

Director Nikhil Advani announced in late January 2009 that he is to work with Vidya. Chand Bhai will be the title of this film and Akshay Kumar will co-star. The film is based on juvenile delinquency. Balan is also set to star in UTV Spotboy’s No One Killed Jessica alongside Rani Mukerji.

Awards and nominations

Filmfare Awards

Winner

• 2006: Filmfare Best Female Debut Award, Parineeta
• 2006: Filmfare Face of the Year, Parineeta
• 2010: Filmfare Best Actress Award, Paa

Nominated

• 2006: Filmfare Best Actress Award, Parineeta
• 2008: Filmfare Best Actress Award, Bhool Bhulaiyaa

Star Screen Awards

Winner

• 2006: Star Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Female, Parineeta
• 2010: Star Screen Award for Best Actress – Paa

Zee Cine Awards

Winner

• 2006: Zee Cine Award for Best Female Debut, Parineeta

Nominated

• 2006: Zee Cine Award for Best Actor – Female, Parineeta

International Indian Film Academy Awards

Winner

• 2006: IIFA Best Female Debut, Parineeta

Nominated

• 2007: IIFA Best Actress Award, Lage Raho Munnabhai
• 2008: IIFA Best Actress Award, Bhool Bhulaiyaa
• 2008: IIFA Best Villain Award, Bhool Bhulaiyaa
• 2008: IIFA Best Supporting Actress Award, Guru

Stardust Awards

Winner

• 2006: Stardust Superstar of Tomorrow – Female, Parineeta

Nominated

• 2008: Stardust Best Supporting Actress Award, Guru

Other Awards

• 2004: Anandalok Puraskar Awards, Best Actress, Bhalo Theko
• 2005: Apsara Producer’s Guild Awards for Outstanding Debut, Parineeta
• 2006: Star’s Sabsey Favourite Nayi Heroine, Parineeta
• 2007: Anandalok Puraskar Awards, Best Actress (Hindi), Bhool Bhulaiyaa
• 2010: Lions Gold Awards, Best Actress, Paa

Filmography

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