Vidya Balan recalls facing trolling, says it felt extremely severe: ‘Remember making headlines for the wrong reasons’

Actor Vidya Balan has opened up about facing trolling and said that it felt ‘extremely severe’. In a new interview, she responded to a question on whether she felt like a ‘pioneer in that respect’. She said that she was heartbroken, low on confidence, and devastated. (Also Read | Vidya Balan now appreciates marriage because of Siddharth Roy Kapur, earlier felt ‘live-in or married doesn’t matter’)

Vidya has over the years slammed those who trolled her. A few years ago, she had told Hindustan Times that ‘trolls hide behind anonymity’ which gives people the power to say things that they can’t say otherwise. She made her acting debut with the television show Hum Paanch in 1995. She made her film debut with the Bengali film Bhalo Theko (2003) and her Bollywood debut with Parineeta (2005).

In an interview with Times Of India, Vidya spoke about trolling, “It still felt extremely severe. I remember making headlines for all the wrong reasons. And I used to be heartbroken and devastated. I used to be so low on confidence. I didn’t know how to hold my hand. When I was going to appearances, I didn’t know where to hold my hands by my side, or hold them or keep them on the waist. I was always so scared of what I would get picked on for.”

When asked why it didn’t show on camera, she said, “Because I trust the camera more than anything else. I think the camera is my safe space. Which is why, when I’m facing the camera, nothing else matters…I’m happy being in front of the camera, my closest confidant.

In 2017, speaking with Hindustan Times Vidya opened up about body positivity. “It’s my body, I love my body. It doesn’t matter what people say. Different people will have different things to say. If I look into the mirror and I am happy with what I am wearing, I would just step out. And then I don’t care about what anyone has to say about it. Over the course of time, I have realised that you can’t please everyone. The world out there will never be happy with you, so you may as well be happy with yourself.”

Vidya was recently seen in Suresh Triveni’s Jalsa alongside Shefali Shah. The film is based on the lives of a journalist (Vidya) and her cook (Shefali). Jalsa, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video last month, also features actors Manav Kaul, Iqbal Khan, Rohini Hattangadi, Shrikant Mohan Yadav, Shafeen Patel, Vidhatri Bandi, and Surya Kasibhatla, among others.