Vidya Balan is glowing these days, and why not? She is enjoying marital bliss and at the same time, her film career is at the peak right now Sreya Basu chats up with the actress in Mumbai

You seem to have lost oodles of weight. What made you try this new look?
A few years ago I figured that I should do whatever I can to give a character to life. It was from then that I started using my body as a tool. At that time I was doing films like Paa (2009) and Ishqiya (2010). And with the 'look' being different in each of these films, I realized may be I should go a step further. That is when The Dirty Picture (2011) happened.

I had just started losing weight after The Dirty Picture when Ghanchakkar happened where Rajkumar Gupta (director) told me 'Don't lose your weight. I want a hatti katti (healthy) Punjabi woman. ' He wanted me to look real and probably for that he wanted me to be oozing out from everywhere. So I retained my weight.

But for Shaadi Ke Side Effects, I am playing a very urban, spunky woman with a leaner frame. So I finally got down to losing the weight that I had put on forThe Dirty Picture and then Ghanchakkar.


How are you doing it?
I have been training with Vilayat (Khan), who is my trainer since pre-Paa days, which is 2008. He was extremely frustrated when I said I have to gain weight. But he is very supportive and helps me modify my body in the best and healthiest way possible. Now it's more cardio-based (training), but there are also bodyweight exercises. It is all dynamic and I am doing all kinds of things.

How are you feeling about your new look?
I am enjoying being in this frame at this point of time (hinting at her new married life with UTV Motion Pictures CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur).

What has Siddharth Roy Kapur to say about your new-lost weight?
The beauty about Siddharth as a person is the fact that he is very, very accepting. He accepts me in all shapes and sizes.


What if after all these efforts you are again asked to gain weight for a film?
I was an actor, am an actor and will always be an actor. So whatever it takes to bring a role alive, I will do that.

Now that you are married, does anything changes for you professionally?
You are right. Previously I was an actor and I was single, now I am an actor who is married - the situation is totally different now. But I don't think I have to negotiate one for the other.

We mostly see you in sarees. Why is that?
I enjoy Indian clothes. The way Indian clothes compliment femininity and sexuality, I don't think any other garment can do that. And as I said before, being an actor I have to sometime put on weight or lose weight, and since sarees are best for all shapes and sizes, I don't have to take any tension regarding that.


Is there a character that you would love to play on screen?
Sridevi's in Mr India (1987) is a complete role and I would love to do that.