Vidya Balan reveals the most important lesson she has learnt ‘as an actor, as a woman’

Ready with Shakuntala Devi, Vidya Balan speaks about the kind of cinema that excites her and what she has learnt in her almost two-decade long career.

In less than a year, Vidya Balan has gone from playing a scientist to a ‘human computer’. “I could not become one in real life but at least I am getting these roles,” says Vidya with a guffaw. Comfortable in life and her choice in films, Vidya is looking forward to the release of Shakuntala Devi on Amazon Prime later this month, another of the high-on-life female characters the actor enjoys playing so much.

Vidya Balan will be seen next in Shakuntala Devi.

“I didn’t know much about her other than the fact that she was known as the human computer world over,” the actor says about Shakutala Devi, “But then Anu Menon (director) started sharing details with me and I realized she was such an interesting person. She had a zest for life and loved to cook, eat, dress up, dance and a wicked sense of humour. None of this I would associate with a human computer. She loved like she lived life, with full josh.”

Shakuntala Devi comes on the heels of Tumhari Sulu and Mission Mangal. Talking about her choices in film, the actor says, “These kind of women I find very exciting -- women who love themselves, who love life. They are unapologetic about the choices they make… they want everything. Women are told you can’t have everything. Well, why can’t a girl have everything?” the actor asks.

This seems to be the mantra she has followed in her real life too. Refusing to bow down to criticism tat she had to face initially in her career, Vidya changed the way women are portrayed and perceived onscreen.

“I am still work in progress, I am still coming into my own. So many voices are constantly telling you what to do, who to be especially as a woman. To drown out these noises and just to listen to your inner voice takes a lot and comes with experience. The biggest lesson as a public figure, as an actor, as a star that I have learnt is that the world will constantly ask you to conform to the ideas of who you should be and those idea will keep on changing and you will not be able to keep up. Kabhi bhatak bhi jaat hu but the perspective returns. It also has to do with the family I grew up in and my family gave me freedom to be who you are,” the actor says.

Vidya, who has spoken at length about being bodyshamed, says she changed as a person around 2008. “The acceptance of self happened around 2008-2009. I realized I had to accept that one person in the mirror, everyone else cannot be depended upon and their expectations will keep on changing.”