Bengal equals love, says Vidya Balan
KOLKATA: Many Bollywood actors began their careers in Kolkata, but few, like Vidya Balan, feel an everlasting connection to the city. Vidya, who started her journey with Goutam Halder’s Bengali film ‘Bhalo Theko’ in 2003, returned to Kolkata on Friday to honour her ‘debut director’ at the 30th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF). Halder, who passed away last November, holds a special place in Vidya’s heart.
“Aami mone praane Bangali (I am Bengali by heart and soul),” Vidya said. Over the years, she has shot several Bollywood films in Kolkata, including Kahaani, Te3n, Kahaani 2 and Begum Jaan. Reflecting on her beginnings, she said, “When I was facing rejection after rejection in the South, it was Kolkata that gave me Bhalo Theko.
Bengal equals love.”
Vidya expressed her bond with the city and said that she yearns to come back to Kolkata after regular intervals. “If I don’t visit Kolkata for a few months, I feel a pull. Even my mother asks me why I feel so strongly about a city I don’t live in. But this is where I come for my regular dose of love.” Her gratitude toward Haldar is unparalleled and to honour him, she wore the same saree she wore at the premiere of ‘Bhalo Theko’ two decades ago. Speaking about Halder, Vidya said: “He didn’t just introduce me to cinema but also guided me when
I was clueless.
I couldn’t even read a script then. I was thrilled to work in a Bengali film, especially in the land of Ray. What more could I have asked for?” The ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ actress fondly remembered how Halder pronounced her name as ‘Bidya,’ in the Bengali accent and described it as a lifetime experience to act alongside the legendary Soumitra Chatterjee in her debut.
Recalling her early days at KIFF where she was the thali girl in 2003, Vidya said, “I spent the entire festival watching films and discussing them. It was magical.” Now, she understands Bengali well and can speak bits of the language.
Her affection for the city and its culture runs deep. “I love Bengali cinema, food and the language. I jokingly call myself a ‘probashi Bengali,’” she said and added with a laugh: “Sujoy (Ghosh of Kahaani) always teases me, saying I can’t call myself that, but I do anyway!”
