Vidya Balan began her journey in the film industry at a young age with the 1995 sitcom Hum Paanch and eventually stepped into Bollywood with the film Parineeta.
Vidya Balan has come a long way since her debut film. She starred in films like Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Bhool Bhulaiyya, Paa, Kismat Konnection, Ishqiya, etc., some of which amassed commercial success and earned praise for her.
She is the winner of six Filmfare Awards and a National Film Award. In 2014, she was also awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. She is also a member of the Indian Central Board of Film Certification. Known for her versatility in the roles of female protagonists, Balan also advocates for the empowerment of women.
Her most recent venture is in the film Sherni, where she features as a Forest Officer. The film was released on Amazon Prime on 18 June 2021.
To know more about this wonderful actress, let us rewind the spool and see some of the best movies of Vidya Balan—
1. Mission Mangal
Ranked as her highest-grossing movie of all time, Mission Mangal follows the story of scientists working at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) while dealing with their crises. Their objective is to launch the first interplanetary mission of India, named the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM).
The film features an ensemble cast including prominent Indian actors like Vidya Balan, Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, and Sharman Joshi, among others.
Vidya Balan as Tara Shinde presents another outstanding role, juggling life between being a scientist and looking after her responsibilities as a mother and a wife. The robust character illustrated by Tara, emerging as a strong woman with her heart and soul fully committed to making India a tough competitor in the global space race, is brilliant and worth a watch.
2. Parineeta
With her initial role, Vidya Balan proved that she is the perfect fit for the film industry. A 2005 film that follows the story of childhood sweethearts Lalita and Shekhar, the film features Vidya Balan and Saif Ali Khan in the leading roles. Lalita and Shekhar grow apart with their rising misunderstandings, and they are separated due to the immoral and colluding strategies of Shekhar’s father.
It is based on the Bengali novel of the same name. Moreover, the movie has several allusions entrenched in Indian literature and movies. The film won four Filmfare Awards and was critically acclaimed.
3. Kahaani
Another film that garnered critical acclaim and three National Awards and five Filmfare Awards, Kahaani is a tale of a pregnant woman, Vidya Bagchi, played by Vidya Balan, who is searching for her missing husband in Kolkata during the time of Durga Puja.
A movie with a wonderful storyline, cinematography, and performance of the actors– it concentrates on the principles of feminism and maternity in a male-dominated society.
Vidya Balan has again executed the role with exceptional mastery, portraying a strong and courageous woman who does not always need leather jackets, bullets, and guns to feature in an action film.
4. Tumhari Sulu
Vidya Balan as Sulochana Dubey is living an ideal life in a middle-class, loving family with her Husband Ashok and her son Pranav.
Nicknamed Sulu, she always wished to be a working woman but was unable to complete high school. She is often the center of mockery by her elder sister because of her lack of education. However, the tables are turned when Sulu wins a competition and is given a chance to audition for a night show at a radio station.
Becoming a radio jockey, Sulu’s life is suddenly changed— the film then shows the struggles a woman has to face when she decides to step outside and work. It is a perfect balance between the dreams of a woman and the reality she has to withstand.
The movie focuses on some significant themes, but it is bound to make you laugh with the optimistic voice of Sulu and her journey towards becoming an RJ.
5. Lage Raho Munna Bhai
Starring Sanjay Dutt, Vidya Balan, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, and Dia Mirza, and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, Lage Raho Munna Bhai is a classic! It is a sequel to the immensely joyous Munna Bhai MBBS; however, the plotline is different, so you can watch this one without the predecessor.
Tumhari Sulu isn’t the first time Vidya Balan played the role of a Radio Jockey. Munna Bhai and Circuit are still goondas, but this time Munna Bhai has fallen into the trap of love.
Trying to woo Jhanvi Sahni (Vidya Balan), Munna Bhai disguises himself as a philosophical human who is deeply affected by the values of Gandhiji. Fun fact–after the release of the film, Gandhi’s autobiography ‘My Experiments with Truth’ experienced a sudden surge in demand.
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