Vidya Balan

Vidya Balan is an actress credited with changing how women are portrayed in Hindi cinema through films built around their heroines. Her first acting role was in the sitcom Hum Paanch (1995). While studying for a master's degree in sociology at the University of Mumbai, she made several failed attempts to break into films, and she worked in commercials and music videos.

She made her film debut in the Bengali film Bhalo Theko (2003). Her first Hindi film, Parineeta (2005), won praise, and Lage Raho Munna Bhai and Bhool Bhulaiyaa were hits. After some poorly received roles, she had five successes in a row playing headstrong women: Paa (2009), Ishqiya (2010), No One Killed Jessica (2011), The Dirty Picture (2011) and Kahaani (2012). The Dirty Picture won her the National Film Award for Best Actress.

Later came Tumhari Sulu (2017), Mission Mangal (2019), the streaming films Shakuntala Devi, Sherni and Jalsa, and her biggest hit, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (2024). She received the Padma Shri in 2014 and sits on India's Central Board of Film Certification. On this guide she plays Vidya Bagchi in Kahaani.

She grew up in Chembur and played Radhika, a teenager in glasses, in the first season of Ekta Kapoor's Hum Paanch at 16. She turned down a soap opera to wait for film work. Her early break nearly cost her a career. She was cast opposite Mohanlal in the Malayalam film Chakram and signed for twelve more Malayalam films, but Chakram was shelved. Producers blamed her, called her a jinx and replaced her. She was also dropped from the Tamil film Run after its first schedule.

Kahaani (2012, Hindi) was released 9 March 2012. Vidya Balan plays Vidya Bagchi, under director Sujoy Ghosh. The cast also includes Parambrata Chatterjee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.