Last week, Vidya Balan was in Calcutta, her second visit to the city she calls her “second home” in less than a fortnight. In between doing duties inaugurating the twin showrooms of Senco Gold & Diamonds, of which she is a brand ambassador, at Kankurgachi and Hatibagan, the always vivacious Vidya — vibrant in a maroon sari with jewellery to match — spoke exclusively to t2.

This is the first time that you are in Calcutta twice in the same month....

I am always very happy to be here! I was here hardly 12 days ago. It’s my lucky month to have the opportunity to come to Calcutta twice in a month. I came on Mahalaya and inaugurated Sreebhumi (Puja pandal). Which kind of meant that I was here for Pujo as well. I didn’t get to see any other pandals.

It’s been a few years since I last came for Pujo. My family, actually, had been wanting to come for a long time. So this time I brought my sister and brother-in-law along. It still wasn’t my whole family because my parents, my niece and nephew and Siddharth (Roy Kapur, husband) couldn’t come, but at least the three of us came. We started from my favourite place, Kalighat, and did darshan there. It was special in many ways because Goutam Halder (who directed Vidya in her debut film Bhalo Theko) had taken me to Kalighat for the first time and he took me there again this time, 20 years later.

My family had chai from Balwant Singh. I have been coming to Calcutta for so long, but this was new for me. My brother-in-law is a foodie and he was saying that the tea there doesn’t give one acidity... all those legends, you know (smiles).

I would have liked to see more pandals, though. During the shoot of Kahaani, on the way back from our night shoots, we would stop and visit the pandals at dawn and they would all be empty. That shoot is still so fresh on my mind.

If you had a few days in Calcutta, without any professional commitments, what would be on your itinerary?

I have lactose intolerance, so I don’t have a lot of the milk stuff. So most of the Bengali desserts are pretty much out for me. But I still indulge in nolen gurer rosogolla. I used to love every kind of mustard preparation but I can’t take mustard oil anymore, except once in a while. While shooting Kahaani, we would stop over at Sreehari regularly and have luchi and ghugni. Aah! I really miss those things. If I had a day in the city, I would actually love to walk the streets...

Which you can’t....

No (smiles). I would like to say I would like to do that incognito, but as an actor, I would never want that! (Laughs) I love the attention, I revel in the love, especially the Bengali love that I have received in abundance over the years.

There are some locations in the city that are so clear in my mind. We shot at Sovabazar in a place which seemed like it was almost stuck in a time warp. Calcutta has a lot of those places and it’s so lovely!

I shot in Titagarh for TE3N and at so many places for Kahaani. Every time I cross Kalighat police station, I tell everyone that we shot there. On my initial trips, I would go to Gariahat to buy dhuti-panjabi for my dad and brother-in-law... that was before I met Siddharth. I would really like to spend time here... pandal-hopping would have been lovely.

Do you buy saris from here?

Not really. I don’t actually buy saris anymore. First, I don’t get to go anywhere because my trips are invariably short. And anyway, I get gifted so many saris from weavers and designers all over the country and I really have the best to pick from. There is a sari vendor called Tulsi who comes to Bombay once a year and a whole lot of us buy Bengali saris from him. Dhakai, Baluchari, Jamdani and various kinds of Bengali weaves. We love it (laughs)!

You have been associated with Senco Gold & Diamonds for a very long time. What works for this partnership?

It’s been about eight years, I think. What works for me is, of course, that it is Bengali! (Laughs) It’s a brand that’s lasted 80 years. There is jewellery for everyone in this brand. It’s aspirational but also accessible, through their various schemes. The karigari is delicate and so beautiful.

They also interact with people so well and I think that after the passing of Mr Shankar Sen, Suvankar and Joita (Sen) are doing a lovely job. They are a lovely family. I am very blessed in the sense that I am a brand ambassador for Boroline, which is one of my favourite brands. I am an ardent user of Boroline (smiles). I love how Senco has grown. Today, we are sitting in their 151st store in the country. It’s fantastic!

What kind of jewellery do you lean towards?

I am a big fan of temple-style jewellery. That’s my go-to, default setting! (Laughs) I love the fact that these days, jewellery has become so versatile. One doesn’t need to only pair traditional attire with traditional jewellery. You can pair a shirt with a traditional piece. I have now begun to wear a lot more jewellery. I have begun to enjoy dressing up far more than ever in life and hence, I have started experimenting with different kinds of jewellery. I also like silver jewellery, especially jhumkas and rings. I am also slowly beginning to enjoy diamonds (smiles).

How has your attitude towards fashion evolved in the last few years?

Previously, I just didn’t understand fashion! I didn’t know how to decode it... I thought fashion was an otherworldly thing that I had no connection with! (Laughs) Of course, there are trends, but it’s about how you personalise it. It’s about being authentic. For me, style is eternal and I focus more on personal style. I am absolutely comfortable with who I am today. So whether or not it is in fashion or not, if I like it, I will do it.

What kind of films are you eyeing now?

Vidya in Tumhari Sulu

I am dying to do comedy. There are very few opportunities, however, for women to do comedy. I got to do a little bit of it in Ghanchakkar and Tumhari Sulu. I am thankful to Instagram for giving me a platform for my comedic skills (laughs). I am looking to do happy content at this point because there is enough stress and strife around. I don’t want people to get bogged down further by what they are watching. I am looking to do something bright and cheerful and happy that will make people laugh.

Do you get no offers for comedies at all or do you not like the ones offered to you?

There are no comedies written for women! Sridevi and Juhi Chawla were unbelievable when it came to comedy. In recent times, the two actresses who have tried comedy are Kangana (Ranaut) and me. But that’s it. More needs to happen in the comedy space for women. Even internationally, the stand-up comedy space is dominated by men.

There is so much talk now about female-led cinema and you were the pioneering force behind that a decade ago. How do you react to women actors being given more opportunities and variety on our screens now?

There is always a lot more that needs to be done but we are definitely in a better space than we were. There are many more stories that are being told. However, the pandemic has caused some setbacks in terms of how our films are moving forward. A lot of existential questions are being asked within the film industry about budgeting, what works theatrically and on OTT and what one should cater to.... In that atmosphere, it becomes tougher to get funding for a female-led film. It had got to a certain stage where it was moving smoothly, and now it’s not in such a great space anymore. But that’s anyway life.

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