Vidya Balan on love, affairs and hidden realities

WITH an illustrious career spanning more than two decades, Vidya Balan has captivated audiences with compelling performances time and again.

The multi-award-winning actress steps into the spotlight once more with her new film Do Aur Do Pyaar, which is now in cinemas globally. She stars opposite Sendhil Ramamurthy, Pratik Gandhi and Ileana D’Cruz in the romantic comedy-drama revolving around the intricacies of relationships and unfaithfulness. 

The popular leading lady spoke to Eastern Eye about her latest film, while shedding light on the complexities of modern-day relationships, extra marital affairs and navigating love in today’s fast-paced world. She also shared insights on working with leading men and her viral statement, “it’s time to objectify men.” 

 Tell us about your character in Do Aur Do Pyaar? 

 Kavya is a Palakkad Iyer like me – a Tambrahm. I am so happy that I got to play a Tambrahm character for the first time. But of course, she is born and raised in Ooty. 

 She is a very headstrong girl, has done exactly in life what she wanted, but is madly in love with Ani, the character played by Pratik, until life happens. 

 What can you tell us about that?

 Sometimes, it happens that even people who are madly in love, at some point, fall out of love. She is someone who yearns for that love. When she feels that she is not able to get it from him, she goes seeking it outside, which is what happens in most cases, I guess. She is confused, I would say. 

 Are you headstrong? 

 I am headstrong, very headstrong.  

You are attempting a romantic film after a long time. What did you most like about Do Aur Do Pyaar? 

 I love this genre. I have been offered a few films since Shaadi Ke Side Effects(2014). But these days, there are very few romantic films and love stories being made. I was fed up with all the content that I was watching as a viewer.  

Why is that? 

 Everything is pretty intense, full of action, fights and shooting, and people dying like flies. I was like, ‘What is happening?’ And at that time, I got offered this film. I loved the idea. I just feel I want to now do light stuff for a while.  

Of course, I would love to do a full-fledged comedy, but at least till then, a romantic comedy will work. The film revolves around such a bizarre situation. I hope no one goes through it. 

 The film centres on the theme of an extramarital affair. How is it different from other films that deal with the same topic? 

 Yeah, an extramarital affair is there, but after that, they begin to cheat on their lovers with each other. I had never heard of something like this. 

 You have heard of extra marital affairs - you have seen them on screen and read about it, but this was very unique. 

 Though an extramarital affair is a serious issue, the premise of the film also sounds pretty funny? 

 I think as an onlooker, it can be funny. But for someone going through it, I am sure it’s not funny. But I think it could happen. 

 I am sorry that I am equating food with relationships. But if you eat dal-chawal every day, you get bored. But if you eat Hakka noodles every day, then you will feel the importance of dal-chawal.

Vidya Balan and with Pratik Gandhi in the film, Do Aur Do Pyaar.

 What do you feel a couple should do so that they do not grow out of love? 

I think couples, from my experience, should constantly, consistently work at spending time, sharing experiences. I am very particular about spending a lot of time with my husband (Siddharth Roy Kapur), just as a couple. Even if we are watching something, having a discussion or going for a drive. 

 Spending time regularly with each other to share what is happening in each other’s lives is very important. Besides, also doing lots of stuff together. Not just travelling but trying out new things as a couple. Even if you get excited about trying a new restaurant. Last year we went on a short holiday.  

Tell us more about that thought process? 

 I think that consistently working at it, spending time with each other is very crucial. And to share and be honest about how you are feeling.  

Because at some point or the other, there will be differences of opinion. There will be sometimes when someone feels bad or misunderstands. To just get it out of the system and not to hide it. I, at least, cannot do it. I say whatever I feel.  

You did the same when Ranveer Singh was being trolled for his nude photoshoot for a magazine with your quote about it…  

It has been ages since we have been seeing girls, women on cover pages. You even have Playboy where women are completely nude, and men enjoy that. Or maybe lesbians also enjoy that 

. But as a woman, what do I get to see?Always covered men (laughs). Why are you making us feel sati-savitri (loyal and loving wife)? Don’t assume we do not have desires, or we don’t appreciate other’s beauty. There is nothing wrong in it. Women have been objectified all these years, but now I think it’s time to objectify men (laughs).  

What’s your message to couples who have grown out of love but are stuck in a loveless marriage?  

I feel it’s so unique that I am no one to give any advice. But I feel if you really want to keep the relationship, then maybe you should seek some sort of help from a counsellor or a therapist and work at it. But if you feel it’s a no-go, then best not to waste yours and that person’s life. Maybe you will get another chance at finding love and happiness. 

 Do you feel a dead relationship can’t be mended? 

No, I didn’t mean that. If you feel you want to give the relationship another chance, you must work at it. 

What do you think about ‘situationships’? 

I thank God that I am not single in this age and time because everything is so confusing. I am shocked to learn so many new words, including ‘situationship’, during the promotion of this film. 

 I feel relationships have become like online orders. If you don’t like the pav-bhaji you ordered, write it in feedback and they may send you another pav-bhaji. Our relationships have become just like that. 

 If your current partner is not perfect, leave it and jump on to the next one. It does not work like that. Nobody is perfect, we have to understand that. But I think that’s because I belong to another generation and am able to say that. For the younger generation, it must be a very confusing time.  

Do you think that’s why relationships are falling apart these days? 

I think that’s also true because they are not able to commit. They are constantly flitting between dating different people and not even dating for long. They are changing their dates like school unforms. 

 How was it working with Sendhil Ramamurthy? 

 Sendil was lovely. He is very quiet, a man of few words. He is a very good actor, but he does not do Hindi films. 

 He was here (in India) for a very short while. So, he was also getting used to how a Hindi film is shot. He is a lovely actor. (Laughs) And it helped to have an eye-candy on the sets. 

Vidya Balan

 And what about Pratik Gandhi?  

As far as Pratik goes, I enjoyed my scenes with him. 

 What was fascinating for me was the fact that the guy who was in Scam (web series), the guy who convinced me he was Harshad Mehta, is being this goofy bumbling idiot in relationships in Do Aur Do Pyaar. These things fascinate me about actors that you do two different things so convincingly. 

 You have proved your mettle as an actress in many acclaimed Indian films. Do you aspire to work in Hollywood someday? 

 I don’t have any agent or anyone there. I think you need to have an agent and you need to work really hard for things to work there. You need to constantly audition and all of that. I think I am a bit laidback for that. But I hope organically if something works out, great.  

Your next big release is Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. How does it feel returning to the hit franchise after so many years?  

I have been shooting for a while, but it feels totally different because it’s a completely new team.  

To be honest, it feels like a new film altogether because, right from the director to the cast and heads of departments, are all new.  

It’s a completely new film, so it does not feel like that I have been a part of this world before. I will reveal more in October, around the release.  

Now that you have done diverse work, what types of roles attract you at this point in your career? 

I think at this point, I want to do just happy, entertaining films.  

But when it comes to characters, I am open to doing all sorts of characters, but different from what I have done so far. Not just as an actor, I want different stories and characters as an audience as well. 

 Also, I cannot tolerate unnecessary violence and intensity in everything I see. 

 Share your experience of working with debutant filmmaker Shirsha Guha Thakurta on Do Aur Do Pyaar?  

Oh, fantastic. She is from the Guhathakurta family. She is a well-known ad-filmmaker. Her attitude on sets was very girly, like a little child. She is very cute, but she knows her job and how. I love the tone she has used in this film.