After her outstanding performance in female-centric Ishqiya, No One Killed Jessica and The Dirty Picture, actress Vidya Balan carries forward the legacy of hits with Kahaani . Kolkata Metro objects to Vidya's push scene in Kahaani. Watch video Bachchan sings for Vidya's Kahaani. Watch video Kahaani music launch. See pics Vidya Balan, who turned the tables for female actors in Bollywood by carrying The Dirty Picture strongly and boldly on her shoulders in 2011, plays the lead in Kahaani.
If she effortlessly essayed the role of a sex symbol in The Dirty Picutre, it was a cakewalk to play a pregnant woman in search of her husband in Kahaani, says Vidya Balan. Gautam Dutta, COO, PVR said that the film has superseded their expectation. It is being co-distributed by Pen India Pvt. Ltd, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Boundscript Motion Pictures Pvt. Ltd
"Women in Bollywood have always been secondary. It's predominantly men who have taken centrestage in our films. Even earlier, barring some films like Mother India and Umrao Jaan, women in Indian cinema had marginal roles. In recent times, The Dirty Picture has been an exception," film historian S.M.M. Ausaja said.
Kahaani, the drama-thriller made at a shoestring budget of Rs.8 crore, is receiving positive response from both the critics and audiences. The film has opened very well. In fact, the collection in India on Friday was Rs.2.95 crore and on Saturday it earned Rs.4.5 crore.
"Kahaani is a film that is made for serious and sensible cinegoers. Vidya's performance is being appreciated by audience. The film is not entertaining like The Dirty Picture, that is why it has a niche audience. But it will not only recover its cost but also earn profits," said Delhi based distributor Joginder Mahajan.
In fact, the 33-year-old broke the stereotype that a commercial project about a woman doesn't work. Between the 1980s and 1990s, Bollywood produced a mixed bag of female-oriented movies - some like Umraao Jaan, Prem Rog, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Khoon Bhari Maang, Nache Mayuri and Damini were hits, while art films like Mirch Masala, Arth, Mandi, Rudaali, Lekin, Sardari Begum, Mammo, Mrityudand, Maya Memsaab and Fire earned critical acclaim.
Indian women are also calling the shots in the corporate world, sports and politics and now it seems the film industry is trying to change as well. "India is changing; women are on top in every other realm and yet our heroines are the hero's sidekick. I hope more writers see that potential in women-oriented scripts, or scripts where the woman is treated in a strong, powerful, real way," actress Kalki Koechlin said.
Many, like producer Ekta Kapoor, are furthering the cause with strong projects and bold themes. "I am about to sign a comedy movie which will begin after three months." I have been asked not to disclose details about it. I wanted to try the genre for a long time as I have not got a chance to do an out and out comic flick," Vidya said. Well, Vidya take a break and return with a bang.
