As Vidya Balan completes 20 years in Bollywood this August, she reflected on a defining moment in her career, playing Amitabh Bachchan’s mother in Paa. The role came with considerable hesitation, as many cautioned her against it, given the unconventional casting choice that challenged industry norms.
Vidya Balan on choosing to play Amitabh Bachchan’s mother in Paa despite cautions: “The actor in me kept saying, ‘Do it’”
In her conversation with Filmfare, Vidya shared how she eventually decided to go ahead with the role in R. Balki’s film, choosing to follow her instincts over popular opinion. Looking back, she considers it a turning point that shaped her as an artist.
Vidya Balan recounted her first reaction when R. Balki approached her for Paa, revealing that she was taken aback by the idea of playing Amitabh Bachchan’s mother. “I thought R Balki had lost it. He said he wanted Abhishek (Bachchan) and me to play Mr Bachchan’s parents. It sounded absurd. But then he read me the script of Paa, and something shifted. I kept revisiting it, and the actor in me kept saying, ‘Do it.’ I was scared, though,” she shared.
She further explained how the decision unfolded, saying, “Everyone warned me that playing an older woman would end my career. But I got a writer and an ad filmmaker friend to read it, and both insisted I do it. That’s when I stopped listening to the noise and started listening to myself. I’d already done films that didn’t speak to me. Though they worked, I hadn’t enjoyed them. I never wanted to feel that disconnect again.”
Paa, the 2009 drama directed by R. Balki, stars Amitabh Bachchan as Auro, a 12-year-old with progeria, a rare disorder causing premature ageing. In a unique twist, Abhishek Bachchan plays his father, while Vidya Balan plays his mother. The film received critical and commercial acclaim, winning multiple awards, including National Awards for Best Actor (Amitabh Bachchan) and Best Hindi Feature Film.
Vidya Balan was last seen in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, alongside Kartik Aaryan, Triptii Dimri, and Madhuri Dixit. While she hasn’t announced her next project yet, her debut film Parineeta is set for a limited re-release in select cinemas across India starting August 29.
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More Pages: Paa Box Office Collection , Paa Movie Review
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