Vidya Balan reflects on Bhool Bhulaiyaa opening doors to unconventional roles: "When people see you do different things..."

Although the first Bhool Bhulaiyaa was widely celebrated, Vidya Balan and Akshay Kumar did not return for its 2022 sequel, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2.

Actor Vidya Balan, who recently made her return to the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise with its third installment, reflected on how the success of the original film in 2007 transformed her career.

In an interview with PTI, Balan shared that her portrayal of Avni/Manjulika in Priyadarshan’s hit movie opposite Akshay Kumar reshaped industry perceptions of her. The film's impact paved the way for more complex and unconventional roles, opening up new opportunities for the versatile actress. “People realised that there was another facet (to me). I don’t know if it was prompted by that, but ”Ishqiya” came to me after that. When people see you do different things, their minds open up with possibilities. It was a huge commercial success, so I’m sure it must have impacted people’s decisions,” Balan said in the interview.

Although the first Bhool Bhulaiyaa was widely celebrated, Vidya Balan and Akshay Kumar did not return for its 2022 sequel, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Directed by Anees Bazmee, the sequel introduced a mostly new cast, with Rajpal Yadav being the only returning member, and went on to become a massive box office success. Balan, however, made her much-anticipated return to the franchise with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, which hit theatres on November 1. The film has already garnered over Rs 160 crores at the domestic box office, solidifying its blockbuster status.

Asked about the mixed reviews to Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Balan said it is not a critics’ film. "Someone told me, ‘Have you read the reviews?’ I said, ‘No.’ Anyway, I didn’t read it and this time I’m not reading it because it’s not a film that you read reviews for,” she told PTI.

Balan shared that she revisited Bhool Bhulaiyaa before accepting the offer to star in the franchise's third installment and stated, "I was like, ‘Let me revisit this.’ It had been 10 to 15 years since I watched Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and I enjoyed it. I do watch my films once in a while. I watched my films before and after the release. I watched Tumhari Sulu and Parineeta last year after Dada (Pradeep Sarkar) passed away."

Vidya Balan also revealed that her father still laments the fact that she didn’t receive any awards for her performance in Bhool Bhulaiyaa. However, she reassured him that it was fine, noting that the following years brought her significant recognition. She went on to win Best Actress awards for four consecutive years, thanks to her acclaimed performances in Paa (2010), Ishqiya (2011), The Dirty Picture (2012), and Kahaani (2013), highlighting how everything eventually balanced out.

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Following her work on Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, Vidya Balan expressed her desire to take on a comedy role, as she’s a big fan of the genre. She noted the scarcity of women-led comedies, mentioning films like Tanu Weds Manu, Piku, and Tumhari Sulu as rare examples. Reflecting on past classics such as Seeta Aur Geeta and Chaalbaaz, Balan said she longs for similar stories today.

However, she observed that women seem less inclined to engage in self-deprecating humor in the current cultural climate, where sensitivities are heightened. Balan emphasized that comedy often involves breaking boundaries and poking fun at oneself and others, urging a shift toward taking things less seriously. She also called for a broader rethinking of how women-centric films are conceptualized and executed.

(With inputs from PTI)