Overview

• Vidya Balan initially thought director R. Balki “had lost it” when he proposed casting her and Abhishek Bachchan as Amitabh Bachchan’s parents in the 2009 drama Paa.
• After reading the script repeatedly, she felt her artistic instinct urging her to accept the challenging maternal role despite her fears.
• Industry peers cautioned that portraying a 67-year-old woman at age 30 could end her career, leading her to seek validation from a writer and an ad filmmaker friend.
• Paa was produced on a ₹15 crore budget, grossed over ₹48 crore at the box office and won 18 awards, including National Awards for Best Actor and Best Hindi Feature Film.
• Balan’s debut film Parineeta will return to Indian cinemas for a one-week limited re-release starting August 29.