From Smoking Addiction To Dating Rumours With Shahid Kapoor, 6 Times Vidya Balan Was Brutally Honest

Vidya Balan never minces her words. The actress recently seen in Do Aur Do Pyaar alongside Prateek Gandhi, has always been bruatally honest and unabashed during interviews. Be it her comebacks or her words of wisdom, Vidya has always been candid. With her brightest smile that can light up anyone's day and her heart in right place, she a delight to watch onscreen as well as offscreen.

Unfiltered & Unabashed, 5 Times Vidya Balan Was Brutally Honest

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1. Got addicted to smoking after Dirty Picture

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The 2011 hit film The Dirty Picture was a game-changer for Vidya Balan's career. When most actresses including Kangana Ranaut rejected to play Silk Smitha, an actress and dancer who became popular as sex symbol in 1980s and early 1990s, she took up the role and nailed it to perfection. In conversation with YouTuber Samdish, the actress recently revealed she got addicted to smoking after the film. Since Smith was a heavy smoker, Vidya had to smoke in the film and to make it look authentic, she smoked real cigarettes.

"I had smoked before shooting for the film. I knew how to smoke but I didn¡¯t really smoke...you know what it is. But as a character, you can¡¯t just fake it. I couldn¡¯t have that hesitation because there is a certain perception about women who smoke. Much less now, far more before," she shared.

Balan said she loves the smell of the smoke

When asked if she still smokes, the actress responded, "No. I don¡¯t think I should say this on camera, but I enjoy smoking. If you tell me a cigarette would do no harm to you, then I would do it. I love the smell of smoke. Even at bus stops in my college days, I would stand next to people who would smoke."

2. Felt bullied at an award show

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In the same podcast Unfiltered with Samdish, Vidya Balan also talked about dealing with nepotism early on in her career and being bullied at an award show. She referred to getting Na-Real award at Filmfare Awards 2008 for her costumes in Akshay Kumar starrer Heyy Babyy. "When they told me they're going to give me the Na-Real award, I said, 'Why me? My clothes are not just my choice, right?' I was too new to have an opinion on anything. So they said, 'No, we¡¯re just doing this fun segment so we're going to give you this award.' So I said, 'Fine, but I'm going to share it with the costume designer and the director, and they said, 'No, you must not do that.' And that, I think, is not nice."

Being a sport, Vidya was ready to do it. However, when she got to know that another actress who was getting Na-Real award backed out, she realized she was the only one being targeted. She went on to name the costume designer when she was presented with the award. This didn't go down well with many and she had to face the heat from her friends and colleagues in the industry thereafter.

3. Admitted dating rumours with Shahid Kapoor

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During an episode of Koffee With Karan, the Do Aur Do Pyaar actress was quizzed about dating rumors with Shahid Kapoor. When Karan Johar asked her what went wrong between them, she answered, "There was no issue there. I was completely misquoted (earlier)." When Karan asked if shebelieved in saying that there was no smoke without fire, Vidya said, "I do." KJO then asked her, "So in this case there was no smoke or no fire?" To which, Vidya being brutally honest said, "No, no. I am not saying that there was no smoke and there wasn't fire. I am saying I am not telling you who was stoking that fire."

4. Khans will never play a gay man like Mammootty in Kaathal

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Vidya Balan unabashedly admitted that Khan, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan will never play a gay man like Malayalam supertsar Mammootty did in Jeo Baby's Kaathal: The Core last year. "We have to accept that it's a more literate audience in Kerala. That's a big difference. The texture of the lowest common denominator is very different in Kerala. I'm not taking away from him (Mammootty) that he did. But maybe it's a bit easier there. It is a reflection of his society. I think they'd be more open to something like this. And they revere their actors like anything in the South. They worship them, especially the male superstars. So it's that much more creditable that he went ahead and did it. He didn't think it'd be a reflection on my machismo. He's a much more secure actor."

Furthermore, naming Ayushmann Khurrana and his role in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, she hoped that the next generation actors bring about this change in Bollywood as well.

5. Why she doesn't talk about politics and religion?

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The Kahaani actress she doesn't talk about politics at all as she fears getting banned for her opinions. "Politics se bahut darr lagta hai, phir humko ban-van kar denge toh¡­ It hasn¡¯t happened with me, thankfully, but now actors are wary about talking about politics because you don¡¯t know who will get offended. Especially around the release of a film, it is the work of 200 people at stake, so I just say keep me away from politics." On being asked if she is open to sharing her opinion on religion and if she feels this topic has polarised India, she said, "I feel we are definitely more polarised. As a nation, we did not have a religious identity before but now I don¡¯t know why... It¡¯s not just politics, it is also social media, because we are all lost in this world and looking for an identity, which we don¡¯t have organically, we are looking for things to attach ourselves to."

6. She shut down a reporter for asking her about her weight

Despite giving multiple excellent performances, Vidya Balan has often been subject to incentive and nonsensical questions. Once a reporter asked her if she was planning to lose weight to bag a commercial movie. Showing off her bright smile, Vidya gave it back to him answering that she was very happy with her body and it would be great if he could change his perspective.

Meanwhile, Vidya Balan is basking in the success of Do Aur Do Pyaar.

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