Vidya Balan returns to the screen after more than a year, as mother to Big B in Paa

Actor Vidya Balan arrived with a bang — Parineeta got her rave reviews, high marks for beauty and a Filmfare Best Debut award in 2006. The law of averages caught up quickly; her films tanked, her romances failed and she headlined worst-dressed lists. Balan now returns with her most challenging role to date — playing mother to Amitabh Bahchcan in Paa. It is a daring choice, not only is Paa entirely the Big B’s show, Balan has the high-voltage Abhishek Bachchan playing her husband. So, why isn’t she intimidated?

“It will be my first film after a year-and-a-half and I am eager to show off the hard work that went into the film,” she says, about the film that releases on December 4. “Now, I can proudly tell everyone that Amitabh Bachchan was my son. He was well-behaved and addressed me as Ma on the sets.”

In the film, Balan plays a gynaecologist and mother to Bachchan senior. Bachchan’s character Auro suffers from Progeria, a rare genetic condition in which symptoms resembling aspects of ageing are manifested at an early age in a person. “Auro was like this cocky 13-year-old whose mannerisms were different from other children’s. I watched documentaries on progeria and read a book, Old at Age 3 by Keith Moore, about a person suffering from the disease,” she explains.

She adds that director R Balakrishnan made it clear that “he did not want a mother who patronises her child or pities him”. “He asked me to show pride in my son. I had to show affection without physical gestures like hugs and kisses,” she adds.

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