TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING

You see a lot of people, especially at the beginning of the year, come out with lists of what’s in and what’s out…
Some popular ones that I’ve seen so far- staying hydrated, animal prints, and early bedtimes - IN. Oversharing, Oat milk, and filler conversation - all OUT. For what it’s worth, no filler conversation here, and to be honest, hopefully listening to this podcast stays IN with you, and I’m quite grateful to you for listening and sharing it with your friends, and for following along on social media.
I’ll tell you what typically never goes out of style or fashion - and that’s being genuine and relatable. It’s likely the first thing that draws many to the work of Vidya Balan. Vidya is a pioneering and award winning Indian film actor, known for her versatility, integrity, and finesse. She’s been celebrated for her authentic portrayals of women in a wide range of roles from the complex or energetic to the vulnerable and even subdued. She’s been acting for over 20 years and has won awards and accolades for films like Parineeta, Paa, Ishqiya, The Dirty Picture, Kahaani, Tumhari Sulu, Mission Mangal, and Sherni. But beyond the achievements and success, perhaps what's most compelling about Vidya Balan is her ability to stay true to herself, allowing a crystallized focus on her work and feeling empowered about things she cares about, basically filtering out the noise and focusing on the signal.And this rings true particularly when considering things like being content and measuring success, and the dance between privacy and sharing in a very front-facing environment.
I was grateful to share some time with Vidya, talking about everything from the frameworks of celebrity to being at peace with herself to preparing for various roles. But we started by talking a little bit about what people’s impressions and maybe surprises are when they first meet her…