'I hope to make connection with my kismat'

After Goutam Halder, Vidya Balan is doing a film with Rituparno Ghosh, says Diganta Guha

To call Vidya Balan elegant would be an understatement.

She is out-of-the-world in a red salwaar kameez. With her characteristic smile in place — Oh boy! — Vidya has a mesmeric effect on her audience during her visit to the city on Thursday.

Vidya claims to have news. “I am doing a Bengali film with Rituda (Rituparno Ghosh) this year,” says the actor, flashing a ravishing smile.

Having heard such statements from every other Bollywood leading lady, we’re not impressed. Besides, whatever happened to Ghosh’s Rahgir (a remake of the Dev Anand starrer, Guide) that she was to do opposite Akshay Kumar? “You have to ask Rituda,” Vidya plays safe.

We’ve heard that before, too. However, for her we do hope that a film with the big man comes about. Our Vidya, however, is also doing another Bengali film with her Bhalo Theko director Goutam Halder, for which she will be back in the city soon.

Bhalo Theko was Vidya’s debut film, too, and because of it she can speak a bit of Bengali. “Aami Bangla bujhte pari bolteo pari, but if you ask me to speak at a stretch, it’s a problem,” she says.

On the career front, 2007 was quite a year for her. With five releases — Eklavya, Salaam-e-Ishq, Guru, Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa — and a particularly challenging role in that last. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I just played my character,” she says.

Reacting to her co-star Akshay’s adulation, Vidya is predictably coy, “It is sweet of Akshay to have heaped so much praise on me.” With her looks, brand endorsement contracts shouldn’t be difficult to come by.

“I haven’t started endorsing brands but will hopefully do so soon,” says the actor who seems eager to shed her girl-next-door tag for a more glamorous run in the industry.

Remind the actor about some of her gorgeous pictures on the web and pat comes her reply, “I wear a lot of Western clothes. However, people still think that I am the homely girl of Parineeta. I am just Vidya Balan. There is no effort to be anybody else.”

This year hasn’t been too good for Vidya so far. However, despite Raj Kumar Santoshi’s Halla Bol not making much of an impact at the box office, Vidya doesn’t seem to be perturbed.

“Inshallah, I hope 2008 is good for everyone, especially for me. I hope to make a connection with my kismat this year,” she says, referring to her forthcoming release, Aziz Mirza’s Kismat Konnection opposite Shahid Kapur.

Hmmmm… Shahid Kapur. Valentine’s Day is nearing. What’s her plan? “I wish I had a Valentine,” she muses. We leave her to her thoughts.