Sunday, September 11, 2011

vidya balan biography


Vidya father PR Balan is the Vice-President of etc Network while her mother is a homemaker. She also has a sister named Priya. Vidya went to St Antony's School in Chembur and graduated in Sociology from St Xavier College. The actress can speak English, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Bengali very well.In 1998, this elegant beauty started her career as a model in the Surf Excel advertisement. Later she appeared in more than 25 advertising short films such as Ponds, Bajaj and others.She acted in a few music videos for Euphoria, Shubha Mudgal and Pankaj Udhas.She was also seen in TV serials such as Ashok Pandit's Hanste Khelte and Ekta Kapoor. Hum Paanch as well as a Bengali movie Bhalo Theko with actor Joy Sengupta. She won the Best Actress Award, Anand Lok Puraskar for this movie in Kolkatta.Vidya Balan debuted in Bollywood with the film Parineeta (2005), which was a huge success. She won the Filmfare Best Debut Award for the same. In 2006, she received her first commercial success with Rajkumar Hirani Lage Raho MunnaBhai and has thus established herself as one of the most promising actresses in the industry.

She appeared in three music videos for Pankaj Udhas, Euphoria, and Shubha Mudgal in supporting roles. She then also appeared in two TV serials Ekta Kapoor's 'Hum Paanch', and Ashok Pandit's 'Hanste Khelte'.

During 2003 she was signed-up to play a role in a Bengali movie 'Bhaalo Theko' opposite Joy Sengupta. This project was completed during the year 2006, and was a considerable hit.

Then during 2006 Vidya was approached by Vidhu Vinod Chopra during a pop-concert in Mumbai to play a lead role in 'Parineeta'. She then had to undergo 17 make-up shoots and 40 screen tests before being chosen for this role. All this hard work did result in success as 'Parineeta' was very well received so much so that the Tamil producer, who had previously rejected her, invited her to appear in a 'Dasavatharam' opposite Kamal Hassan, and now it was Vidya's turn to reject this offer which eventually went to 'Asin'.

Apart from acting, Vidya occupies herself for supporting education for young Indians by promoting children's' books; is associated with Americans for Aids Research; with Hale House - that provides support and housing for children born with HIV and drug abuse; as well as hosting forums and attending events for Harvard Aids Institute.