When Vidya Balan felt the pangs of nepotism
Renowned Bollywood actor Vidya Balan recently revealed her initial experiences in the Hindi film industry on the podcast Unfiltered with Samdish. She confessed to being a victim of nepotism during the 2008 Filmfare Awards. Balan was awarded the mocking Na-Real award for her wardrobe in Sajid Khan's 2007 comedy, Heyy Babyy, an honor presented by one of the hosts for the night, Shah Rukh Khan.
'Why me? My clothes are not just my choice, right?'
Balan expressed her confusion and discomfort upon learning she was to receive the award. She recalled, "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?' At that time, I was too new to have an opinion on anything." Although she reluctantly agreed to participate in the segment, when she reached the venue, she found out another actor slated for the same award had withdrawn.
Balan shared 'honor' with director, costume designer; faced criticism
Feeling singled out, Balan decided to share her award with director Khan and costume designer Manish Malhotra during her acceptance speech. This act however invited flak from their friends and supporters in the industry. Reflecting on the event, she stated, "At that night, I was shattered. I realized that yes, it does make a difference when you don't come from a film family."
Actor's witty acceptance speech was a hit though
Despite her initial reluctance, hosts SRK and Saif Ali Khan urged Balan to accept the award. In her acceptance speech, she also famously responded to the hosts' remarks about her costumes by saying, "When I got here and saw you, I said, 'Wow, I didn't realize Yash Raj has such cool waiters.'" Currently, Balan is preparing for her return to the Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise. Her latest, Do Aur Do Pyaar is running in theaters.
