Vidya talks about Shahid and Kismat Konnection

Vidya Balan, in an exclusive interview to Spicezee.com’s Swati Chaturvedi in ‘Kahiye Janaab’, talked about her journey so far, her upcoming flick `Kismat Konnection`, her connection with Shahid and more. Looking radiant in brown, Vidya`s expressive eyes shone brilliantly as she candidly answered all the questions put up by the reporter. Here is an excerpt from the interview that will allow you to know more about the pretty actress.Swati: You come from a non-filmi background. How have you achieved so much success in such a short period? Vidya: Yes, I do come from a non films background. But my parents always knew about my Bollywood dreams. I always had the passion in me to make it big on the silver screen and I have been fortunate to have a very supportive family. Swati: You say you have passion. What is the difference between passion and desperation in the Hindi film industry for an actress? Vidya: Passion is a must for all those who want to succeed in our industry. But desperation comes to people, who have no goals in their lives. I would say that I was always ready to work and work hard, but not at any cost. Swati: Filmi background means protection. So what’s the kind of struggle that one goes through when the backing is not there? Vidya: I have always had the luxury of choice. I have done films and ad films that I have wanted too. There was a time when though I was not a great hit. I had turned down interesting offers as my studies were taking a backseat. I always had the option of saying no. It was not like I was working empty stomach or anything. Swati: Your transition from TV to films is somewhat similar to that of Shah Rukh Khan. Do you consider yourself as the female SRK? Vidya: No, not at all. Shah Rukh is a living legend and I am nowhere near him. Swati: Your role in Parineeta has been widely appreciated. If Parineeta had not happened would you still have continued on TV? Vidya: That is something really difficult to say. The point is that I was not satisfied with TV. To tell you the truth I was not happy doing TV. The medium is very taxing and one needs to have the tenacity and strength to do the same thing day after day and still make it look good. It’s difficult to be so physically tired and still perform to your best day and day out. I believe that for creativity to flow, be it any profession, one needs to have mind space which I wasn’t getting and I was scared to get too comfortable with the medium. Then again I did not want to be typecast and get used to doing the same expressions repeatedly. In Television one gets too used to giving the same kind of expressions every time and I have always wanted to experiment. Swati: In terms of your acting, looks and your much talked about dressing sense , how important are the critics to you? Vidya: (Laughs) It’s not just the critics that matters, it’s having an opinion that counts. When someone says something good, we take it as a compliment and when someone says something harsh, it’s something that we need to work upon. Swati: How did you deal with the famous ‘Nareal’ Award for the worst dressed celebrity? Vidya: Frankly speaking, it did not bother me much. I took it in my stride and I feel that one needs to have a sporting sense of humour to be able to take such things. Swati: Do you pride yourself on your dressing sense? Vidya: Yes I do. Swati: How did you feel when a designer of Manish Malhotra’s stature made sarcastic comments about your dressing sense? Vidya: What matters is that still when I look into the mirror I smile. As long as I am happy with the way I look and feel it does not bother me much then, who says what. I just feel loved and cared for and I am thankful for that. Swati: Being loved by whom? Vidya: Fans and of course my family. No matter what the world says about me, once I go home I feel special. I am blessed to have friends who are supportive of whatever I do. I feel that opinions do matter, but they don’t alter my way of living. Swati: After Parineeta you went to don the glam doll look. Was that a deliberate decision? Vidya: I could not have carried a Parineeta look in all my movies. I have always attempted to do different kinds of roles and they required me to change my look. So, the glam doll image came naturally as the role required. Swati: Did all the criticism about your dressing sense hurt? Vidya: Initially it did. May be more because I had gotten so used to compliments that when I was criticised it came as a shock. I wondered why people were being so harsh to me. But now I have come to terms with such comments. Vidya: I hope that with my films like Kismat Konnection, people will forget about my dressing sense. Swati: Why is your name being linked with actors? Is it because not many people in the film industry make their relationship public? Vidya: I think I get linked because I am single. Also because I share great rapport with all my co- stars. I believe in having fun on work and if I get along with someone and have a good time, then I don’t hesitate for the fear of being linked with them. Swati: So are you single and ready to mingle? Vidya: Most definitely ready to mingle. Swati: With each of your movies you are linked with your co-stars. Saif in Parineeta… (Vidya corrects, no it was Sanju) John Abraham- Saalam-e-Ishq, you have been portrayed as a femme fatale and now you have been linked with Shahid in Kismat Konnection. What do you have to say? Vidya: Well I think that because I am single and I share great equation with everyone that people are putting two and two together. Swati: Even Shahid is single, so what is so strange? Vidya: It’s strange because it is untrue. It’s not only link ups, but the fact that people write all kinds of stuff and when your family reads it sometimes. They write such illicit stuff that disturbs my family deeply and when they get hurt it feels bad as they are the most important people in my life. Swati: Do all the rumours affect your rapport with co-star Shahid? Vidya: I think when we work, it doesn’t matter. We take it as professional hazards and there are of course times when we joke about them. Swati: So what is your relation with Shahid? Vidya: That of good friends. Swati: ‘We are good friends’, well that sounds like an old Hindi film cliché. Vidya: If we are just good friends, then what more can I say? The truth is that we are indeed good friends and great co-stars. Swati: You have had John, Sanju and Shahid as your co-stars. You are a normal girl, so aren’t you attracted to them? Vidya: (Laughs) You know when we are working you can’t get attracted to them, as you have to focus. There is no denying that they are good-looking men, but I will have to meet them outside work to know how I feel about them. Swati: Do you meet them outside work? Vidya: No, I don’t. I don’t even get time to meet my friends, and the little time that I have I want to spend it with the people, who are already there in my life than make new relations. Swati: Who all in the list of Vidya’s top good-looking men? Vidya: There is no order of preference, but the actors that I find good-looking are: Shah Rukh Khan, because of his looks and attitude (purely the look of his eyes), John Abraham for his absolute good looks, Salman because he looks like a Greek god, Abhishek for his cool attitude and Hrithik of course. Swati: Are you interested in politics? Vidya: I think there is politics in every industry, so I don’t think there is a need for me to join politics. Swati: Do you think that there is an inherent sexism in the film industry, where the hero goes on forever and a female actress has a limited professional life? Vidya: Yes, of course there is an inherent sexism existing here. That is because once you know that an actress is married the desirability of the actress dies down. It is basically the mentality of the Indian society. Once married, the actress has to be shown as a mother or a married woman on screen. But I feel Kajol is an exception of sorts, she is an actress who has shown that her sensuality doesn’t lie in the clothes that she wears or in her body language but in her sheer performance, which is so marvelous. Swati: After Kismat Konnection and seeing yourself on the big screen, what is the next big thing on your list? Vidya: Actually, I couldn’t have asked for more, I think I am just grateful to God. Adaptation: Ankita Shukla and Tanu Talwar