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28 March 2024

Actress Vidya Balan gets 'pleasant shock' in Dubai

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan in Dubai Promoting her movie 'Kahaani'. (Bindu Suresh Rai)

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By Bindu Suresh Rai

It isn't surprising that the press conference for Vidya Balan's "Kahaani" was hijacked by the news of her Indian National Award win for "The Dirty Picture".

The news broke 20 minutes before the event commenced, where a visibly elated Balan couldn't contain the smiles or the gushing as she spoke about her win, mere hours before the Dubai premiere of her new film, "Kahaani".

When quizzed by Emirates 24/7 on her first reaction post the win, Balan said: "It wasn't even a call, but a text message. I called my family to confirm and mom was crying, my sister was screaming and dad just kept saying 'oh my God, oh my God'.

"After I finally spoke to Milan Lutharia ("The Dirty Picture" director) did the news finally sink in."

Balan added that she was just as grateful that costume designer Niharika Khan also won the National Award for the same film.

"It's a poetic justice really to see her win the award for designing my costumes," laughed Balan, who has been criticised over the years for her appalling dress sense.

She added: "I know Vikram Gaekwad won the award for make-up too. I just hope it’s my film."

He has indeed.

Balan added that she hasn't been able to connect as yet with film producer Ekta Kapoor, but "The Dirty Picture" and now "Kahaani" has cemented the actress' role as a woman of substance in Bollywood.

"I can't hope for a better selection of films and scripts that have come my way in this career, and I can only thank God for giving me the courage to taken on such powerful roles," she revealed.

Vidya, dressed once again as a pregnant woman, to live the character of Vidya Bagchi from "Kahaani", the actress added: "I am lucky tao take on roles of women with gumption, and I do feel that in a small way I am representing change in Indian cinema today.