GIRL NEXT DOOR

In her 12-year Bollywood career, Vidya Balan has won the heart of the nation with her girl-next-door, sari-clad, smiley-face image.

Well, she’s at it yet again in her next release Tumhari Sulu, in which she reprises that average middle-class woman so suited to her. This time round, she’s your typical housewife – but with an extraordinary natural talent for radio which sees her become a star.

Vidya ruminates that she has never played the teeny-bopper roles.

“The dancing-around-the-trees role never excited me,” she laughs. “I came into the lm industry as a woman at the age of 26!”

Her clever choices of lms may have gotten her her national awards, but perhaps choosing certain kinds of lms is limiting her talent? Or is that giving her more room for experimentation?

“I am experimenting in my way. This year I’ve had three very different lms Kahaani 2, Begum Jaan and now Tumhari Sulu. So yes, I am doing enough experimentation as a performer.”

Born and brought up in a middle-class southern Indian family in Mumbai, Vidya has grown up with traditional values and a very progressive mindset.

“You know, I am the rst Palakkad Iyer girl to join Hindi lms as an actress,” she reveals. “As a community, we are very traditional. Our focus is always on studies, classical dance and music. But I am blessed to be born in a family where my parents gave me and my sister, wings to y. Our upbringing made us emotionally safe and secure. They taught us to do everything to the best of our ability.”

Perhaps that attitude gives her the con dence to say, “I know there will always be some work for me in whichever age I am.” with the #FitToFight campaign.

Tumhari Sulu releases on 17 Nov.

“I have also been opinionated and I choose to express my views openly. I hope to inspire other girls through my stories of courage, faith and conviction. I truly believe in the limitless potential that every woman possesses to be physically, mentally and socially t. I do hope my story and journey of facing adversities, ghting obstacles and emerging stronger and tter, will inspire other women to be Fit to Fight,” she said.

PADMAVATI’S WOES CONTINUE

With the release date of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati approaching, its troubles seem to be mounting as well. After protests by the Karni Sena and also a Brahmin group, now the former royal family of Jaipur has opposed release of the lm “if historical facts are distorted”.

Former princess Diya Kumari in a statement said that no lm should hurt the sentiments of a community by “twisting historical facts”.

Actress Kangana Ranaut, known to speak her mind despite the reactions her words elicit, says it is tough to remain ‘headstrong’ in lmdom.

As a Reebok brand ambassador, she is part of the second edition of the brand’s #FitToFight campaign, which ghts looming gender demons of eveteasing and pay disparity.

Despite the challenges especially of recent days, she claims she herself is mentally tough and t to ght. “My experiences in life, on the personal and professional fronts, have helped shape the individual I am today,” she said on the sidelines of the campaign. “There have been moments in my life when it was very dif cult to continue working in unfavourable conditions. But I fought my way, to make a mark for myself. In our industry, it is important to remain headstrong as you are often judged for not following the status quo. There will always be a segment that will try to make you feel insigni cant, but it is important to channel your strength and con dence and work hard to triumph. It’s important to grow a distinct voice to break the clutter.”

This is what she is trying to promote

Diya Kumari is a BJP MLA.

“The director of the lm Padmavati, Sanjay Leela Bhansali should not wrongly depict the story of Queen Padmavati of Chittor. He should get the facts in the lm veri ed by a forum of historians,” she said in a statement.

Diya Kumari said that “Rajputs will not allow any distortion of the valiant history of Rajasthan and sacri ce of its people in ghting barbarians”.

Bollywood has not often got its facts right in its historical lms. The latest development comes as lm distributors in Rajasthan have expressed unease over releasing the lm, scheduled to hit the screens on 1 Dec.

Raj Bansal, a leading lm distributor in Jaipur, says his company will not buy the distribution rights of the lm till the controversy is resolved. Other distributors have agreed too.

With 300 screens in Rajasthan, and it will be a loss of around Rs 5 crore if the lm is not released in the state, sources said.

The movie tells the tale of Rani Padmavati - the legendary Mewar queen known as much for her beauty and intelligence as she was for her courage, her husband Maharawal Ratan Singh - a glorious Rajput ruler and a warrior king who fought till his dying breath to defend his kingdom and his wife’s honour and Sultan Alauddin Khilji - an ambitious and obsessive invader.

DILJIT, TAAPSEE IN HOCKEY FILM

The last hockey movie that came out - Chak De India - left us exhilarated. Now, another one is being made on the life of former Indian hockey captain Sandeep Singh. And who better than the dashing Diljit Dosanjh to play the protagonist? This one will be the Udta Punjab actor’s rst solo lead.

Sandeep Singh played as a full back and was a penalty corner specialist. He made headlines when he made a comeback into the game after being injured in an accident.

Taapsee Pannu, who is also acting in the lm and will essay the role of a hockey player, is super excited about the role. Reason? She says she loves sports so much that had she not been an actor, she would have aspired to become a sportsperson.

“I love sports and always feel if I wasn’t an actor, I would’ve aspired to become a sportsperson. But being an actor is very special because you get to live so many lives in one life. Finally, I have got an opportunity to combine the two interests. “I have been pretty