Actress Vidya Balan, a newly-appointed member of the Indian Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), says when the offer to be a part of it came her way, she didn’t want to refuse as she felt she would then lose the right to ever criticise the censor body’s decisions.
She said: “When I was asked to join, I thought if I didn’t agree to it now, then I will lose the right to criticise any decision ever made by the CBFC. When I got the chance to do it, I said I am ready to take on that responsibility.
“I really don’t want to say anything about what our approach is going to be or what our decisions are going to be based on but I would like to say that we just had a board meeting and it felt good that we are all in sync with our thoughts about the board and CBFC.”
The Indian National Award-winning actress, who will next be seen on screen in Tumhari Sulu, was asked about how the industry is changing and new form of films are being accepted.
Balan admitted that “slowly and surely we are moving towards making and watching films that are very relatable”.
“Where the hero is not out of the ordinary... He or she is an ordinary person, who overcomes circumstances in life and then becomes extraordinary. I think that’s the shift, which is why you see an actor like Akshay Kumar be a part of a film such as Toilet: Ek Prem Katha. I think it isn’t really about making social films, but about telling our stories that are relevant to us and are rooted in our reality.”
She also praised the Ayushmann Khurrana and Bhumi Pednekar’s Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, which is about erectile dysfunction.
“I saw Shubh Mangal Saavdhan recently and I enjoyed the film thoroughly. Two years ago, you couldn’t have imagined there will be a film about erectile dysfunction with a fairly popular actor. And it’s been treated so beautifully. I don’t personally look at it as a cause-based film... I think it’s about relatability.”
Balan’s Tumhari Sulu is a slice-of-life film directed by adman Suresh Triveni. In it, she plays a happy-go-lucky Mumbai housewife whose life changes when she unexpectedly lands herself the exciting job of a night radio jockey on a leading radio station.
The film is scheduled to release on December 1 in India.
