She is being touted as Bollywood's first female hero. Many hail her as the New Age Shabana Azmi and still others think she's the female Aamir Khan. But only Vidya Balan can handle overvaulting fame and sharp ridicule with inspiring nonchalance.

At a time when leading actresses were advertising the size zero frame, Vidya proudly flaunted her curves and even piled on a few kilos for 'The Dirty Picture'. She then silenced those who touted it as a fluke hit by giving a stellar performance in 'Kahaani', cementing her position in 2012 as the only actress in the industry on whose shoulders a blockbuster could ride.

"Vidya surrenders herself to the script. She has the amazing ability to get into the skin of the character. In 'Kahaani' I would give her a detailed brief about a scene and full marks to her for taking it to another level. She is the best we have in the industry," says director Sujoy Ghosh, who reposed all his faith on the actress and was rewarded in the form of critical praise from all quarters.Ever since her debut in Pradeep Sarkar's 'Parineeta', Vidya has ensured that she was noticed in every role.

She was candid enough to admit how the flak for her sartorial sense in 'Heyy Baby' affected her."Vidya doesn't need films, films need her. The beauty of Vidya as an actor is that she hasn't defined her limits. So the words 'difficult' or 'complicated' does not exist in her dictionary. She is one actor who has the potential of overshadowing everyone else in the frame. That's the reason why she can carry a film on her shoulders. How many actresses can boast of that?" asks Milan Luthria.

Bollywood's preoccupation with awards, item numbers and the new obsession - the Rs 100 crore club - is well-known. On her part, Vidya is hardly seen talking about either. Says Raj Kumar Gupta, in whose 'No One Killed Jessica' Vidya played second lead, "I don't think Vidya does films for awards. She is beyond all that. Even in a film like 'No One Killed Jessica' where she didn't play the protagonist, Vidya left a strong impact. Seasoned actors don't worry about the billing; they will stand out even in a guest appearance."In this publicity-hungry industry, Vidya in 2012 managed to keep the focus only on her work and how gloriously that turned out for her. Kudos Vidya, for being a path-breaker in every sense.