While most Bollywood actresses are believed to be apprehensive about revealing their ages in public, Vidya Balan feels that things are gradually changing in the industry.
The 36-year-old says that heroines are no longer under pressure to look a certain way in order to bag big roles in films.
"A long time ago, I went through a lot of pressure to dress a certain way, as we are a youth-obsessed society and industry, but that is changing now. As an actor, there was more pressure to play down your age [back in the day], because only then could you get lead roles. But that has also changed. Now, there is less pressure to hide your age," says Vidya.
The actor adds that she has never been apologetic about her age, and says that it only adds to her credibility as an actor. "I am proud to be the age I am. I have a body of experience as an actor and an individual, and I would not want to reduce my age for anything. Life is getting more and more exciting for me," she says.
Vidya, who has been appreciated for her roles in films like The Dirty Picture (2011) and Kahaani (2012), says there are no fixed factors that make her sign a film.
"There is no set parameter for me to decide which role I want to do. I go purely by instinct. It depends on how I react to the character that I am being offered, and then the overall film. After that, I look at the director and the producer," she says.
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