Women are now playing the lead role in our lives, says National Award-winning actress Vidya Balan

Actress Vidya Balan said, “All the extraordinary characters played by women actors in the Indian film industry in the past and their desire to do more has inspired us to reach the level where we are now telling women-centric stories in films " She was speaking at a session on “Women and Glass Ceilings” on the sidelines of the ongoing 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFT) in Goa. Expressing her desire to play different characters, the National Award-winning actress said that it is very important to constantly look for new stories and characters that can connect with the audience. “Unconventional roles and being myself while playing those characters is very important to me,” she said.

Answering a question on what motivates her to play a versatile character in every film, the actress said that the desire to do unimaginable roles and break the stereotypes of female characters in Indian cinema has been her inspiration. She said, "I like the idea of stepping out of the comfort zone in each of my films and it requires a lot of hard work which gives me a lot of freedom." Highlighting the importance of the portrayal of women in Indian cinema, Vidya Said that we all need to remove the stereotypes prevalent in our society regarding women. "Women in today's world are way ahead of time," said the actress. In a career spanning three decades, the actress has acted beautifully in films like Parineeta, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Paa, Kahani, The Dirty Picture, Shakuntala Devi, Sherni, and Jalsa. Also played unconventional roles. Her films have changed the portrayal of female characters in Indian cinema.

Cinematographer: Ramakant Munde Mumbai