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EXCLUSIVE: Are Bollywood franchises the 'new superstar'? Like Rohit Shetty’s cop universe? Vidya Balan answers
Vidya Balan, who was last seen in the film Jalsa, has shared her take on whether mega-budget film franchises are driving audiences to the theatres amid COVID-19 pandemic. Have a look.
Vidya Balan is one of the most refined actors in the Bollywood industry, whose work speaks for itself. The 43-year-old actor is best known for her roles based on the struggles of women’s lives in Indian society. Vidya is married to film producer Siddharth Roy Kapur. She rose to fame by playing pivotal roles in films like Parineeta, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, No One Killed Jessica, and Kahaani— all of which were blockbusters at the box office.
Are popular Bollywood franchises performing well than other films in the industry?
With ace Bollywood filmmaker Rohit Shetty creating the cop universe with a mega-budget film franchise, people are wondering whether these franchises are the only ones that have the potential to drive audiences to the theatres in the near future.
Speaking exclusively to Pinkvilla, Vidya Balan said, “But there are other films also. So, it is not like only these films (from the universe) are working. Like Sita Ramam for example, which has nothing to do with any universe.”
Some of the popular universes in Bollywood by popular production houses are Spy Universe: Tiger, Pathaan, War | Cop Universe: Singham, Simmba, Sooryavanshi, Lady Singham | Astra-Verse: The Brahmastra trilogy. 
Vidya Balan on working in Jalsa
Recalling one of the most ‘painful’ scenes of the movie Jalsa, Vidya Balan shared her experience of acting in the film, especially with a child who has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy —a disorder that affects a person’s mobility---in real life as well.
Vidya told Pinkvilla: “In Jalsa, (I remember) there was a very intense scene. One of the last scenes that I have with my (on-screen) son is with a boy who has cerebral palsy. And it was a brutal scene. He is a boy with cerebral palsy. He is not an actor per se.”
“In that brutal scene, I am saying some very nasty thing to him…because, one, as a person (the actor version) and second as a mother (in the film)....saying something to a child like this….it was very tough for me. So when I saw it (on screen), they (the makers) had put a lot of it in music. Because the scene is brutal. It did something to me (from within). So, I think, this scene is ‘The’ one,” she said.
Balan recalled crying after the first take of the scene. She said, “He (the child in the film) is the reason why the scene works on screen. Because of the way he reacted to all that I was saying….after the first take (of the scene)...I ran back and I cried. I felt like it (the scene) was ‘really’ happening.”
For the unversed, Jalsa is a thriller film directed by Suresh Triveni. It is produced by T-Series and Abundantia Entertainment. The film stars Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah in key roles. It premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 18 March 2022.
Also Read: Vidya Balan reveals not having any idea about pay parity in Bollywood for THIS reason
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