Vidya Balan

Acting

Vidya Balan

Born 1978-01-01 · Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Vidya Balan (born January 1, 1978) is an Indian actress, who appears in Hindi films. After graduating with a degree in sociology, she started her career starring in music videos, television shows and commercials, before appearing in feature films. Balan made her movie debut in the Bengali film, Bhalo Theko in 2003. She later made her Hindi film debut with Parineeta (2005), which earned her a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut as well as her first Best Actress nomination at the same ceremony. She subsequently essayed a variety of character roles, receiving her first commercial success with Rajkumar Hirani's Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006). She subsequently appeared in such films as Guru, Heyy Babyy (2008) and Bhool Bhulaiya (2008), the latter earning her another Filmfare nomination. In 2009 she appeared as a single mother of a child suffering from progeria in R. Balki's Paa, her performance in which ultimately won her a Best Actress award at Filmfare. 2010 saw the release of Ishqiya, starring Balan in a role for which she was praised and awarded, and she followed it with her first real-life character of Sabrina Lal in the biopic No One Killed Jessica.

Acting credits

Guru poster
6.9

A villager, Gurukant Desai, arrives in Bombay in 1958, and rises from its streets to become the biggest tycoon in India.

Guru

2007

N.T.R: Kathanayakudu poster
5.2

Based on the journey of the legendary Telugu actor, filmmaker and ex-Chief Minister Late Taraka Rama Rao Nandamuri.

N.T.R: Kathanayakudu

2019

Om Shanti Om poster
7.1

In the early 70s, aspiring actor Om Prakash Makhija, and a famous starlet Shantipriya, are murdered. Thirty years later, his reincarnation Om Kapoor sets out to discover the mystery of their demise.

Om Shanti Om

2007

Raja Shivaji poster
5.9

Chronicles the rise of young Shivaji Bhonsale, who challenged the might of established empires to found the Maratha kingdom and lay the groundwork for 'Swarajya' (self-rule) during a turbulent period of Indian history.

Raja Shivaji

2026

Jailer 2 poster
NR

Following the events of "Jailer", former ruthless police officer Muthuvel Pandian must come face-to-face with an even larger threat.

Jailer 2

2026

Dum Maaro Dum poster
5.6

ACP Vishnu is sent on a mission to investigate and clean the underbelly of Goa. During his investigation, he uncovers a huge racket and discovers the involvement of various politicians.

Dum Maaro Dum

2011

Kahaani poster
7.2

Pregnant and alone in the city of Kolkata, a woman begins a relentless search for her missing husband, only to find that nothing is what it seems.

Kahaani

2012

Bombay Talkies poster
6.3

One hundred years of Hindi cinema is celebrated in four short stories showcasing the power of film.

Bombay Talkies

2013

Ekk Albela poster
8.0

The journey of Bhagwan Dada. A common man who rose to the top and became a legend in Indian Cinema.

Ekk Albela

2016

The Dirty Picture poster
6.1

After running away from home in search of movie stardom, a village girl rises to become a prominent sex symbol.

The Dirty Picture

2011

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 poster
5.5

Rooh Baba ventures into a haunted mansion in the kingdom of Raktaghat in West Bengal, where he confronts two vengeful spirits, both asserting to be Manjulika.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3

2024

Heyy Babyy poster
5.9

Three womanisers find a baby left at their doorstep. Chaos ensues as they try to contact their former girlfriends to determine who is the father amongst them.

Heyy Babyy

2007

Halla Bol poster
4.9

Ashfaque (Ajay Devgan) is a small town boy aspiring to be a film star in the Hindi film industry. He joins a street theatre group run by a reformed dacoit Sidhu (Pankaj Kapur) who uses street theatre as a medium to bring about an awakening in the masses. Ashfaque struggles to give a creative vent to the actor in him in order to realize his dreams.

Halla Bol

2008

Paa poster
6.4

Auro suffers from a progeria like syndrome. Mentally he is 13 but physically he looks 5 times older. In spite of his condition, Auro is a very happy boy. He lives with his mother Vidya, who is a gynaecologist. Amol is young, progressive politician. He is a man with a mission. Auro is Amol's son. Paa is a 'rare' story about a father-son, son-father relationship.

Paa

2009

Parineeta poster
6.5

Childhood sweethearts Lalita and Shekhar wish to get married someday. However, Shekhar's growing suspicions about Lalita coupled with his conniving father's antics threaten to tear them apart.

Parineeta

2005

Lage Raho Munna Bhai poster
7.3

Lovable goon Munna falls for a morning radio host by the name of Jahnvi, who also runs an elders' home which an unscrupulous builder seeks to attain. In order to gain Jahnvi’s attention, he cheats his way to winning a Mahatma Gandhi radio quiz. When Jahnvi consequently expresses interest in Munna, he and his best friend Circuit attempt to keep up the facade.

Lage Raho Munna Bhai

2006

Eklavya: The Royal Guard poster
6.0

As the kingdom of Devigarh comes apart at the seams, an aging bodyguard attempts to protect the Royal Family, as well as keep its darkest secrets from ever coming to light.

Eklavya: The Royal Guard

2007

Bhool Bhulaiyaa poster
6.8

NRI Siddharth Chaturvedi and his wife Avni return to Siddharth's family's ancestral Varanasi palace while disregarding warnings of a curse and paranormal phenomena. Soon enough, inexplicable events begin occuring, which forces Siddharth to consult the eccentric psychiatrist Aditya Shrivastav to help solve the mystery.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa

2007

Hamari Adhuri Kahani poster
6.2

A single mother finds solace with a wealthy, but lonely hotel magnate, together they find love until her past comes back to confront her.

Hamari Adhuri Kahani

2015

Sherni poster
6.3

A jaded forest officer leads a team of trackers and locals intending to capture an unsettled tigress while battling intense obstacles and pressures, both natural and man-made.

Sherni

2021

N.T.R: Mahanayakudu poster
4.6

A follow up to NTR: Kathanayakudu which was based on N.T. Rama Rao's life and acting career. This movie focuses on his political career.

N.T.R: Mahanayakudu

2019

Begum Jaan poster
5.7

On the eve of Independence, the chairman of the Border Commission, Sir Cyril Radcliffe decides to divide India and Pakistan into equitable halves. What the administration doesn’t account for is the line running through the middle of Begum Jaan’s brothel situated plonk on the border; with one half falling in India and the other in Pakistan.

Begum Jaan

2017

Mission Mangal poster
6.7

A team of Indian scientists at ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) take on the extraordinary task of successfully sending a satellite into the orbit of planet Mars in a country's maiden attempt.

Mission Mangal

2019

Shakuntala Devi poster
6.5

Based on the life of Shakuntala Devi who is a well-known mathematical genius and calculating progidy from India. She has been nicknamed 'Human Computer' because of her extraordinary talent and skill in solving complex mathematical problems without any mechanical aid.

Shakuntala Devi

2020

Behind the camera