Vidya's clean-up act

After the huge success of The Dirty Picture and a National Award for her role in the movie, Vidya Balan has recently become a part of the government’s sanitation drive. TSI’s Prakriti Raj has a one on one with the actress.

TSI: First of all, congratulations on your national award. Did you ever expect that The Dirty Picture would fetch you a National Award?

VB: We always have thousands of expectations. However, what this movie has given me I will never forget. I cannot begin to tell you how glad I am that my work has been noticed and appreciated. I am thankful to each and every person who has seen this film to for having taken the trouble of seeing the movie and having noticed my work.

TSI: Your act in the movie has changed the very definition of actresses in Bollywood. How does that feel?

VB: Well if that is the case, then I would be honoured. You see, this is the age of the bold and the beautiful. If Bollywood is learning to accept that, then it is a good thing indeed.

TSI: You have been made the brand ambassador of the government’s sanitation drive. Please comment.

VB: This issue has never come on the forefront of any agenda. So when Union minister Jayram Ramesh spoke of this drive, I was greatly influenced by it. This a two year long program and in that I will try to spread the word about this drive to as many people as possible.

TSI: So is this a clean up drive after The Dirty Picture?

VB: (Laughing) Well you could say I am cleaning up. This is a clean up drive after all!