Vidya Balan Age, Height, Weight, Wiki, Biography, Family, And More

Vidya Balan Age

46 Years Old

Biography

Full Name	Vidya Balan
Nick Name	Vidhi
Date of Birth	1 January 1978
Age	46 Years Old
Place of Birth	Poothamkurussy, Puthur, Palakkad, Kerala, India
Nationality	Indian
Religion	Hinduism
Zodiac Sign	Capricorn
Profession	Actress, Model

Family

Father	P. R. Balan
Mother	Saraswathy Balan
Brother	None
Sister	Priya Balan
Spouse	Siddharth Roy Kapoor

Physical Measurements

Height	5 feet 4 Inches
Weight	70 kg
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Dark Brown
Body Measurements	35-30-35

Education

School	St. Anthony Girls’ High School, Mumbai
College	St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai University of Mumbai, Mumbai
Qualification	Masters degree in Sociology

Early Life

Vidya Balan was born on January 1, 1979, in Bombay (now Mumbai), into a Tamil Brahmin family. Her father, P. R. Balan, works as the executive vice-president of Digicable, and her mother, Saraswathy Balan, is a homemaker. Vidya’s family speaks a mix of Malayalam and Tamil at their home in Palakkad, Kerala. She has an elder sister named Priya Balan, who works in advertising, and actress Priyamani is her second cousin.

Growing up in the suburban neighborhood of Chembur, Mumbai, Vidya attended St. Anthony Girls’ High School. Since her early years, she dreamt of a career in film and found inspiration in the work of actors like Shabana Azmi and Madhuri Dixit. At the age of 16, she made her debut in the first season of Ekta Kapoor’s sitcom Hum Paanch as Radhika.

After the sitcom ended, Vidya turned down an offer to star in a television soap opera from director Anurag Basu. She was determined to focus on a film career, supported by her parents who encouraged her to complete her education first. Vidya pursued a bachelor’s degree in sociology from St. Xavier’s College and later obtained a master’s degree from the University of Mumbai.

During her master’s studies, Vidya got a break as the female lead in the Malayalam film Chakram opposite Mohanlal. However, due to production issues, the film was shelved, leading to unforeseen challenges in her career. Despite facing setbacks and being labeled as a “jinx,” she shifted her focus to Tamil cinema. In 2001, she was cast as the female lead in N. Linguswamy’s Run (2002), but circumstances led to her replacement by Meera Jasmine.

Vidya faced additional challenges in Tamil cinema, including being signed for a film she was uncomfortable with and being replaced in other projects. Despite these setbacks, she continued her journey and appeared in numerous television commercials and music videos, collaborating with directors like Pradeep Sarkar. Vidya’s early career was marked by struggles, but her determination and resilience paved the way for her eventual success in the Indian film industry.

Career

Vidya Balan made her film debut with the Bengali film “Bhalo Theko” in 2003, directed by Goutam Halder. She portrayed the central character of Aanandi, a young woman reflecting on her past. Vidya received an Anandalok Purashkar for Best Actress for her outstanding performance in the film. Encouraged by director Pradeep Sarkar, she auditioned for the lead role in the Hindi film “Parineeta” (2005). Despite initial reluctance due to her lack of established status, Vidya won the part after six months of rigorous testing.

“Parineeta” is based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel and narrates the love story between Shekhar (Saif Ali Khan) and Lalita (Vidya). Her portrayal garnered critical acclaim, earning her the Best Female Debut award at the Filmfare Awards ceremony and a nomination for Best Actress.

Continuing her collaboration with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s production, Vidya starred in Rajkumar Hirani’s comedy film “Lage Raho Munna Bhai” (2006) opposite Sanjay Dutt. Although her role was not substantial, Vidya accepted it to diversify her roles and avoid being typecast. The film became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films at that time.

In 2007, Vidya took on a supporting role in Mani Ratnam’s drama “Guru” and appeared in ensemble films like “Salaam-e-Ishq” and “Eklavya: The Royal Guard.” Despite smaller roles, she considered them part of her learning curve. However, both films performed poorly at the box office.

Vidya’s 2007 releases included the comedy “Heyy Babyy” and the horror film “Bhool Bhulaiyaa.” The former marked her first glamorous role, receiving mixed reviews for her appearance. In “Bhool Bhulaiyaa,” she portrayed a woman with dissociative identity disorder, earning praise for her performance. Both films were among the highest-grossing Hindi films of the year.

In 2008, Vidya had a supporting role in “Halla Bol,” based on activist Safdar Hashmi’s life. She then took on another glamorous role in the romantic comedy “Kismat Konnection,” co-starring Shahid Kapoor. However, the film did not fare well at the box office, and Vidya faced criticism for her miscasting in glamorous roles.

In 2009, Vidya Balan’s career took a positive turn with R. Balki casting her in the comedy-drama “Paa.” Following the success of “Paa,” Vidya embraced a challenging role in Abhishek Chaubey’s black comedy “Ishqiya” (2010). The pivotal year 2011 saw Vidya in two commercially successful female-led films. In “No One Killed Jessica,” based on the Jessica Lal murder case, Vidya portrayed Sabrina, showcasing her ability to control emotions. The film was well-received, and Vidya earned another Filmfare nomination for Best Actress.

In “The Dirty Picture,” a drama based on Silk Smitha, she redefined the Hindi film heroine with a bold portrayal of sexuality. Continuing her success, Vidya starred in the thriller “Kahaani” (2012), where she played a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband during the Durga Puja festivities in Kolkata.

After participating as a jury member at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Vidya featured in the comic thriller “Ghanchakkar” (2013). Playing a lively Punjabi woman opposite Emraan Hashmi, her role took a backseat compared to the male lead. Critics criticized her character as “caricature-ish,” and the film received mixed reviews. Subsequently, Vidya lent her voice to Draupadi in the animation film “Mahabharat,” based on the Indian epic.

In 2014, Vidya appeared in “Shaadi Ke Side Effects,” a romantic comedy alongside Farhan Akhtar. While critics appreciated their chemistry, the film’s overall reception was lukewarm. She then took on the title role in the comedy-mystery film “Bobby Jasoos,” portraying an aspiring detective with 12 elaborate disguises.

The string of commercially unsuccessful films continued with “Hamari Adhuri Kahani” (2015), a romantic drama. The following year, Vidya played a supporting role in the thriller “Te3n” (2016) and portrayed a child sexual abuse survivor in “Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh” (2016). While the latter received mixed reviews, Vidya’s performance was praised for its commitment and stirring portrayal.

In 2017, Vidya took on the title role in “Begum Jaan,” a period drama set in the 1940s. Critics had mixed opinions, with some noting her monotone delivery. Following this, she portrayed Sulu in the comedy-drama “Tumhari Sulu.” Her spirited portrayal of a housewife who becomes a talk radio host earned her critical acclaim and several awards, marking her first commercial success since 2012.

Expanding into South Indian cinema in 2019, Vidya appeared in the two-part Telugu biopic “N.T.R: Kathanayakudu” and “N.T.R: Mahanayakudu,” as well as the Tamil drama “Nerkonda Paarvai.” These films experienced varying degrees of commercial success. She also collaborated with Akshay Kumar for the third time in “Mission Mangal,” a film about the Mars Orbiter Mission.

In 2020, Vidya entered the realm of film production with the short film “Natkhat,” a poignant story about a mother imparting lessons of gender equality to her young son. The subsequent year saw Vidya take on the role of an Indian Forest Service officer in the environmental thriller “Sherni” (2021). In 2022, she starred alongside Shefali Shah in the thriller “Jalsa,” available on Amazon Prime Video.

In 2023, Vidya led the ensemble cast in Anu Menon’s murder mystery “Neeyat,” marking her return to the theatrical release format. In 2024, Vidya is set to star in the romantic comedy “Do Aur Do Pyaar.” Additionally, she will reprise her role as Manjulika in the comedy horror sequel “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.”