Vidya Balan celebrates 46th birthday, a look at her journey from Parineeta to Kahaani

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 1 : Vidya Balan has carved a niche for herself in Bollywood with her acting, bold film choices and commitment to her craft. She celebrated her 46th birthday on Wednesday.
From breaking stereotypes to redefining what it means to be a leading lady in Bollywood, Vidya Balan has continuously challenged norms and delivered performances that leave an impression on audiences.
As she celebrated her birthday today, here's a look at some of her most iconic films that have not only redefined her career but also reshaped narratives in Indian cinema.
Parineeta (2005)
Vidya's Bollywood debut showcased her immense talent and screen presence in the musical film. Playing the role of Lolita, a woman caught in the throes of love and societal pressures, Vidya won the appreciation of critics and the audience. Her chemistry with Saif ALi Khan was widely lauded and paved the way for her illustrious career. It was directed by Pradeep Sarkar.

Paa (2009)
In this unconventional drama, Vidya portrayed the role of a single mother to a child with a rare genetic disorder, played by Amitabh Bachchan. This film was an example of one of the bold choices made by Vidya Balan.
In a conversation with ANI, Vidya expressed her views about her role.
"When I heard the narration and then I re-read the story, I was completely blown and there was a hunger in me that I just want to do this role... But ( you know ) people tell you that you should not be playing a mother in films because you be then playing a mother's role for the rest of your life," she said.

She added, "In this, you will playing mother to a 67-year-old actor and also not just a 67-year-old actor. We are talking about 'The Amitabh Bachchan.' But I thought that's okay. What am I acting for, if I don't take up these roles? I want to be living at least trying to live different women's lives with the characters I play. The story of the movie was very beautifully told and even on paper, it read beautifully. But there was a little bit of ...and with no disrespect, I was like I hope I'll not become the next Nirupa Roy. You know people do scare you ...but the process was so magical. It made me realize what I am here to do. The camera is my deepest love," she added.
It was directed by R Balki and starred Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan in the lead roles.

The Dirty Picture (2011)
Arguably her most iconic role, Vidya transformed into the bold and unapologetic South actress Silk Smitha. The actress won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film. It was a blockbuster at the box office. The film was directed by Milan Luthria and starred Emraan Hashmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Tusshar Kapoor in the lead roles.

Kahaani (2012)
In this gripping thriller, the actress played the role of Vidya Bagchi, a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband in Kolkata. Counted as a cult classic, the film was written and directed by Sujoy Ghosh. Her performance fuelled the film's narrative with the blend of thought-provoking performances of Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Saswata Chatterjee.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007):
Vidya's role as the possessed Avni demonstrated her range and versatility. Apart from acting, the actress's dance in the film was loved by all. It starred Akshay Kumar and was directed by Priyadarshan. Vidya reprised her role of Manjulika in the third part of Bhool Bhulaiyaa.

Vidya got married to Siddharth Roy Kapur in 2012. She was awarded Padma Shri in 2014.