Biography
Who is Vidya Balan?
Early life and education
Vidya Balan was born on January 1, 1979, in Bombay, which is now known as Mumbai. She grew up in the Chembur neighborhood. Her father, P. R. Balan, held the position of executive vice-president at Digicable. Her mother is Saraswathy, who works as a homemaker. The family resides in Palakkad, Kerala, where they speak a combination of Malayalam and Tamil.
She attended St. Anthony Girls' High School before moving on to higher education. Vidya Balan studied sociology at St. Xavier's College in Mumbai. She later earned a master's degree in the same subject from the University of Mumbai. During her time as a student, she sought to begin a career in the film industry.
How Vidya became famous
Her first acting role appeared in the 1995 sitcom Hum Paanch, where she played a teenager named Radhika. Before her film success, she worked in music videos for artists like Shubha Mudgal and Euphoria. She also appeared in about 60 television commercials. Her professional film path began in 2003 with the Bengali movie Bhalo Theko.
She gained significant recognition for her role in the 2005 Hindi drama Parineeta. This performance led to a Best Female Debut win at the Filmfare Awards. Following this, she appeared in the 2006 comedy Lage Raho Munna Bhai. She later starred in the 2007 film Bhool Bhulaiyaa, where she played a character with dissociative identity disorder.
Career highlights
Vidya established her status through several consecutive hits starring headstrong women. These included the films Paa, Ishqiya, No One Killed Jessica, and Kahaani. For her performance in The Dirty Picture, she won the National Film Award for Best Actress. She also received seven Filmfare Awards throughout her career.
After a period of fewer roles, she returned to success with Tumhari Sulu in 2017 and Mission Mangal in 2019. She has also appeared in Amazon Prime Video productions such as Jalsa, Sherni, and Shakuntala Devi. Her most successful release to date is the 2024 comedy horror film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. In addition to acting, she is a member of the Indian Central Board of Film Certification.
Family and personal life
Vidya Balan is married to Siddharth Roy Kapur, who works as a film producer. Her family includes her sister, Priya Balan, who is employed in the advertising industry. She also has a second cousin who is an actress named Priyamani. Her parents supported her choice to focus on films after she finished her university studies.
Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her unconventional style. While she faced early criticism regarding her clothing and weight, she later received media credit for her unique approach. She uses her platform to support the empowerment of women and various humanitarian causes.
Birthday and age
Vidya Balan was born on January 1, 1979, which makes Vidya 47 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Vidya shares the date with 30 other famous people.
Explore more
