Vidya Balan shows interest in roles beyond Bollywood - here's what she would love to play

Actor Vidya Balan has expressed her interest in exploring acting opportunities beyond the Indian film industry. In a recent interview with Deadline (Cannes issue), the actor candidly spoke about the kind of roles she wants to take on and how global performances have been influencing her.

The Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 actor shared that she is open to global projects and is especially drawn to well-written, layered characters. “I’d love to play (a character like) the therapist in Adolescence. That’s on the top of my mind at this point,” she said, while reflecting on the kind of roles that appeal to her. She further added, “I would love to do comedy. I absolutely loved Kate Winslet in The Regime. I also love the work Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon are doing.”

In her long-standing career in Hindi cinema, Vidya has often taken on roles that explore the complexities of female characters. She highlighted some of her most memorable performances, including the ambitious homemaker-turned-RJ in Tumhari Sulu, the single mother raising a child with a rare genetic condition in Paa, and the renowned mathematician Shakuntala Devi, famously called the “human computer.” “In each of these films, there was an opportunity for me to do something different as an actor,” she said. “They were well fleshed-out characters, and yet they were great scripts and very engaging, entertaining films.”

Vidya was last seen in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, which released on Diwali last year. The film also starred Kartik Aaryan, Triptii Dimri, and Madhuri Dixit. It performed well at the box office. Before that, she appeared in Do Aur Do Pyaar, a romantic comedy directed by Shirsha Guha Thakurta. The film featured Pratik Gandhi, Ileana D'Cruz, and Sendhil Ramamurthy alongside her.

Vidya’s openness to work in international cinema, combined with her strong track record of portraying women-centric narratives, reflects a continuing shift in how Indian actors are viewing their roles on a global platform — not just as performers, but as storytellers crossing boundaries.