Meet actress who was thrown out of 13 films, directors called her 'manhoos', fat and ugly; later gave Rs 100-crore solo hit

Breaking into the film industry is never easy, and for Vidya Balan, the journey was especially tough. Before she became one of the first Indian actresses to deliver a Rs 100-crore hit without a male lead, she endured a long period of rejection and harsh criticism.

She began acting with the TV show Hum Paanch when she was a teenager. But getting film roles was not easy. Vidya was removed from 13 movies, and one producer even treated her so badly that she lost confidence in herself. In an interview, she said, “They made me feel so ugly that for six months, I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror.”

Years later, when she became successful, the same people who once rejected her tried to work with her again. But Vidya refused. She proved that with patience and strength, success will come even if the journey is slow and difficult.

Directors called her unlucky

In an interview, Vidya Balan shared how tough her early days were. After one of her Malayalam films got cancelled, the producer called her manhoos (unlucky). This hurt her deeply and affected her confidence.

Was body-shamed

Even after she became popular with films like Parineeta and gave many hits, people didn’t stop judging her. She was often mocked for her weight and the way she dressed. Some even called her the “worst-dressed actress.” But despite all this, Vidya stayed strong and focused on her work, proving her talent again and again.

 

 

 

 

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Gave Rs 100-crore blockbuster

After 2010, Vidya Balan’s career took a strong turn. She gave powerful performances in movies like Kahaani and No One Killed Jessica, but it was The Dirty Picture that truly changed everything for her. The film, based on the life of Silk Smitha, became a huge hit and was the first woman-led Bollywood movie to cross Rs 100 crore at the box office.

This success made people call her a “female hero” — someone who could carry a film on her shoulders. While talking about it, Vidya once said that The Dirty Picture didn’t just change her life, it also changed how people looked at heroines in Bollywood.