Actor Vidya Balan held an audience of women entrepreneurs captive with her infectious laughter and audacious jokes, even as she spoke about her journey in the film industry, learning to love her body and managing her finances at an event organised by FICCI FLO, the Ladies Organisation of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

The event, held at Taj West End, featured handloom products from artisans all over Karnataka. Sharing her love for handloom saris and the importance of supporting India’s unique textiles, Vidya was quite vocal about how women ought to wear sarees as they wished.

“I almost always wear a sari to any event. Every woman feels beautiful in a sari as it wraps you in its warm embrace. You don’t have to struggle to fit into it and it allows you to be your most authentic self. My size has fluctuated over the years, but whenever I step out in a sari, I always feel sexy and confident.” 

Role play

The versatile actor, who has starred in films of differing genres, says, “I’m curious about people and I believe that’s why acting worked out for me. I was born to be an actor; at some point, I let go of who I am and how I behave, to be true to my movie persona. This is how I prep for every film, except Bhool Bhullaiya which was the natural me,” she says with a smile, eliciting raucous laughter from the audience.

Vidya Balan at FICCI event in Bengaluru | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

This helps her understand the character’s motivations, Vidya says. “Their feelings, angst, sensitivities and vulnerabilities — everything that makes them a person. I think all of us are the same and yet, each one of us is unique and that’s the beauty of life.”

Self love

Despite numerous hits, Vidya has faced her share of hardships trying to make it in the film industry. She speaks about a time when she was branded a jinx in the Malayalam film industry, replaced in 12 films and struggled with her body image and her confidence.

“I had begun working in a Tamil film and after shooting for a few days, I was replaced. When my parents and I went to meet the producer in Chennai, he showed my father some clips and said, ‘Just look at her — does she look like a heroine?’ I remember I didn’t look at myself in the mirror for close to six months after that, it had damaged my self confidence terribly. But now, when I look back, I realise every experience has made me who I am today and I like who I am today.”

Starring in The Dirty Picture was the turning point for Vidya in her relationship with her body. “The Dirty Picture where I played Silk Smitha, made me comfortable with my body. I’ve always had body image issues as I was a fat girl growing up. The Dirty Picture made me realise your body size has nothing to do with the way you feel about yourself and that is truly liberating.”

Vidya Balan at FICCI event in Bengaluru | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

That movie changed her image as an actor, Vidya says. “As an individual it made me aware that it is this body keeping me alive and I need to appreciate it. I began to revel in and enjoy my body after that.”

Earn and learn

Among India’s highest paid actors, Vidya was asked about the importance of financial literacy and money lessons she learned over the years. “I think the biggest lesson I’ve learnt over the years is, ‘Your money is your money and my money is my money’. I feel most women, even if they are top executives and leaders, don’t take financial decisions on their own. I think it’s important to not just earn, but also learn how to handle money because money is power. You might make a few mistakes along the way, but today, there are enough resources to guide you.”

Sordid reality

The session took a serious turn when a member of the audience brought up the Kolkata rape case and asked Vidya if ‘the reel’ had a role to play in real life violence. “I believe the opposite is true,” she said, adding, “It is the real that inspires and impacts the reel. What we see around us is what is reflected on screen. There is nothing called originality — it all has to come from somewhere.”

Vidya Balan at FICCI event in Bengaluru | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Cinema, Vidya says has long been burdened with the onus of being the moral compass of society. “It isn’t so, only a small fraction of people consume even the biggest blockbusters. Javed sir (Akhtar) summed it up beautifully when he said, it is actually society that corrupts films and not films that corrupt society.” 

Even as she expressed sympathy for the victim and her family, Vidya added, “It makes you fearful for the safety of the girls and women in our lives. When are we going to stop looking over our shoulder? I don’t have an answer; I’m as lost as you.”