'Thought he had lost it': Vidya Balan on R.Balki asking her to play Amitabh Bachchan's mother in 'Paa'

Vidya Balan, who was recently seen in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 with Kartik Aaryan and Tabu, recently reflected on one of the boldest casting decisions in her film journey: portraying the mother of Amitabh Bachchan in the 2009 film Paa. The film also featured Abhishek Bachchan as the father of Amitabh’s character, creating an out of the box setup that caught many by surprise, including Vidya herself.

In a candid conversation with Filmfare, Vidya shared that her first reaction was filled with disbelief. When director R Balki offered her the part, she thought the idea was too far-fetched. “I thought he had lost it,” she admitted.

However, her perspective changed after going through the script. “Then he read me the script of Paa, and something shifted. I kept revisiting it and the actor in me kept saying, ‘Do it.’ I was scared, though. Everyone warned me that playing an older woman would end my career. But I got a writer and an ad filmmaker friend to read it, and both insisted I do.”

I thought he had lost it. Then he read me the script of Paa, and something shifted. I kept revisiting it and the actor in me kept saying, ‘Do it.’

- Vidya Balan

The film tells the story of a child named Auro, played by Amitabh Bachchan, who suffers from progeria, a rare condition that causes rapid aging. Vidya played his mother, and Abhishek took on the role of his father. At the time, the casting went against industry norms, but the performances and emotional storytelling earned praise.

Vidya spoke about what helped her decide. “That is when I stopped listening to the noise and started listening to myself. I had already done films that did not speak to me. Though they worked, I had not enjoyed them. I never wanted to feel that disconnect again.”

While many actors would hesitate to take on such a part so early in their careers, Vidya chose to trust her instincts. That decision would go on to become a key moment in her filmography, proving that roles that feel risky on the surface can often lead to something deeply rewarding.