The Mumbai LitFest witnessed a remarkable gathering of bibliophiles and literati for the highlight session titled “Celebrating Women: The Shashi Baliga Memorial Session — My Medley.” The session featured an esteemed panel comprising Vidya Balan, Ila Arun, and Anjula Bedi. The focus of the conversation was Ila Arun’s much-anticipated autobiography, “Parde Ke Peechhey.”
The session took an intriguing turn when it was revealed that the autobiography includes a dedicated section on Vidya Balan. This revelation left the audience pleasantly surprised. An excerpt was read from the book where Ila Arun expressed her admiration for Vidya Balan, particularly highlighting her debut in “Parineeta” (2005).
In the excerpt, Ila Arun wrote: “I cannot forget how impressed I was when I saw Vidya in ‘Parineeta.’ She was different from the other actresses who looked like models. She was a mature woman, having the beauty and elegance of the actresses of old times. She brought back the dignity of the original Parineeta, the beautiful Meena Kumari in the 1953 film. In fact, she seemed to represent the heroines of all eras of Hindi films. Her expressive face effortlessly spoke volumes. She looked like a Bengali too. Her eyes, her gestures, her body language, they were enough to convey her emotions without the need for words.”
Arun elaborated on her experiences working with Vidya Balan, noting her transformation on set and her remarkable talent. She wrote: “I got to know her well and on the sets, I got to see how talented she is and how she transforms herself the moment the camera is on her. In Begum Jaan, she was too young to be the madam of a kotha. Shabana had done a similar role in Mandi and she looked the part because she was a seasoned actress. She had even put on weight for the role but for Vidya, it was a great responsibility to take on a role like this at such a young age. I told her that I saw Meena Kumari in her and that she should do Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam 1962, which was released originally. She would be perfect for the role. She had the emotional strength to express her pain and her desire, the loneliness of a dejected woman. I also told her that she was the right actress to do a biopic of Meena Kumari.”
The beautiful and enriching session concluded with Ila Arun’s song as she danced to it and Vidya Balan joining her on the stage.
