Actor Vidya Balan, known for her commanding screen presence and fearless authenticity, recently opened up about watching Umrao Jaan with veteran actor Rekha, describing it as a “surreal experience”. Vidya also praised Rekha’s performance in the film, saying “she was made for the celluloid.”
In an interview with THR India, the actor said, “I just wanted to rewatch certain films that I saw as an actor, just to see how they have aged and what my perception would be now. Last night I watched Umrao Jaan with Rekha holding my hand, and at some points in the film, I would just stare back at her with shock and think, ‘Really?’ It was just a surreal experience, because on the other side I had Shabana Azmi, whose mother, Shaukat Kaifi, is also in the film.”
Vidya Balan didn’t hold back in expressing her admiration for Rekha and her performance in Umrao Jaan, saying, “There are so many talented people in that film, like Naseeruddin Shah, Farooq Shaikh, and Dina Pathak, but you just can’t take your eyes off of Rekha ji. I think she was made for the celluloid; if there is one person who was, it’s her. There is no word to describe her, because she is just so above anything you could say. I think she is desire incarnate; that’s what she exudes in every frame.”
Vidya added that the reason for going back to old films was because she was tired of watching series, which had too much violence, and she just wanted to see something which made her believe that there is still good in the world.
Vidya Balan was last seen in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 alongside Kartik Aaryan, Madhuri Dixit, and Tripti Dimrii. She will be next seen in Riteish Deshmukh’s untitled film on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
