Vidya Balan Recalls Getting 'Worst Dressed Award': 'Hit My Lowest, Was Scared To Step Out Of House'

Vidya Balan is one of the most talented actresses in Bollywood today. From Kahaani and The Dirty Picture to Neeyat and Bhool Bhulaiya, the actress has often proven her mettle. Vidya is lauded by the audience and the critics alike for her stellar acting prowess and powerful screen presence. However, for a significant period in her career, most people would talk more about her fashion sense than her performances. She recently opened up about the toll it took on her.

Speaking to Masaba Gupta on her podcast, Vidya said, “I paid no attention to my appearance because I actually loathed myself. Initially, of course, everyone was in love with me and then suddenly, after about two or three years, when people started saying around the time I did two of these typically commercial films, people started saying, ‘Oh my God, this is not working. The films work, but she’s not working. She doesn’t fit the bill, and she’s overweight, and she’s so badly dressed.’”

She added, “I remember getting the worst-dressed award at a film award function, and I think I hit my lowest then. I was so scared to step out of the house, and there were actually people, there was no trolling those days because there was no social media, was lucky there. But in the newspapers, people were taking jibes at me. Like they would be talking about anything, and suddenly they’d bring me in and my dressing sense.”

The actress added, “My sister said, ‘If it’s about clothes, you know what? What do you have designers for? Go to the right people who know how to dress you well.’ And my brother-in-law told me, he said, ‘Tell me honestly, what did you come here for?’ I said, ‘To be an actor.’ He said, ‘So you focus on that. Let the others do their job.’ I was so muddled, you know. But slowly, in the middle of all that, I think slowly, clarity began to emerge, some kind of clarity. I began to say, ‘Okay, I began to shed weight. I began to feel better.”

Vidya then credited designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee for re-instilling her confidence and telling her that if she truly enjoyed wearing sarees, she would completely embrace the garment. Now, Vidya is mostly seen in sarees during her public appearances and she has a wonderful collection.