The filmmaker hasn't given up on bringing the actress back to the Bengali screen

Almost a decade ago, Vidya Balan made her debut in Gautam Halder's Bengali film Bhalo Theko. The actress, who considers Kolkata her home and feels that she was a Bengali in her previous birth, has always harboured a desire to be part of a Bengali film again.

A few years ago, Rituparno Ghosh had offered her a Hindi film that did not work out. At that time she had told the filmmaker that he should have offered her a Bengali film instead.

Then there was buzz that she was again offered a film with Haldar but that never happened. Says a source, `Rituparno has been keen to make a film with her but this time in Bengali.

The Kolkata-based director is working on the modalities. After Vidya's recent streak of success, he feels she now needs to do a Bengali film that will do justice to her acting prowess.`

Adds the source, `At the moment, it is in the initial stages as Vidya is busy currently with her Hindi film assignments.`

Says Rituparno, `Yes, I am keen to do a film with Vidya. But it may not happen right now. But later sometime, definitely. Many years ago I had offered her a Hindi film but now it will be a Bengali film.

` Vids is keen to do another Bengali film because that's where she began her acting career. She speaks the language as fluently as any Bengali would. Even her first Hindi film Parineeta had a Bengali ambience. Her recent film Kahaani, too, had a Kolkata setting.

Rituparno has made several Bengali films with B-Town stars like Shob Charitro Kalponik with Bipasha Basu, Noukadubi with Riya and Raima Sen and Antarmahal with Abhisehk Bachchan and Soha Ali Khan.