“Make them bold sexy and full of joy”: Vidya Balan says women-led Hindi films have stopped being fun

Highlights:

• Vidya Balan urges Hindi filmmakers to rethink how women-led films are written.
• She calls for stories that highlight joy, playfulness, and sensuality, not just pain or struggle.
• The Tumhari Sulu star admits she hasn’t come across a single exciting female-led script in a while.
• Post-pandemic caution, she feels, has stifled creativity and risk-taking in cinema.

Vidya Balan, known for shifting the narrative around female characters in Bollywood, is calling on filmmakers to shake things up once again. The actor believes Hindi cinema needs to reimagine women’s stories, not with heavier plots or louder messages, but with joy, playfulness, and creative risk-taking.

“In Hindi cinema, especially in women-led films, there’s a need for reinvention,” Balan said in an interview. “Most of the stories I read are so intense. Like, women aren’t having fun anymore. And I want to have fun.”

Her call comes at a time when many women-led films tend to revolve around trauma, sacrifice, or struggle, formulas that Balan says no longer excite her. With a career full of path-breaking roles like The Dirty Picture and Kahaani, her thoughts carry weight in an industry where female characters often carry emotional baggage more than plot freedom.

Vidya Balan says she hasn’t read a single female-led script that feels fresh or exciting Instagram/thepeacockmagazine_

Why is Vidya Balan asking for ‘fun’ in female-led stories?

According to Balan, while intensity has its place, the absence of levity and sensuality in current scripts is glaring. “I haven’t read a single script recently that made me say ‘wow,’” she said, referencing how her role in Tumhari Sulu was one of the few that felt truly joyous.

She wants stories that show women enjoying life and not just balancing careers, relationships, and personal trauma. “Even Chaplin-style humour, something light and whimsical... that’s what I want now,” she added, half-laughing.

When she says “make it sexy,” Balan is quick to clarify: it’s not about the physical. It’s about storytelling that’s magnetic, charming, and full of spark, something that feels missing in the current crop of women-centric narratives.

Vidya Balan wants a new wave of Hindi cinema that celebrates women having fun Instagram/thepeacockmagazine_

Why post-pandemic cinema feels more ‘cautious than courageous’

The pandemic, Balan feels, has changed the way both creators and audiences engage with film. “We’re so bogged down by stress and fear, we’ve become too cautious,” she observed.

She believes that in trying to stay safe or socially relevant, films have stopped being imaginative. “But the truth is, courage is what makes a story stick,” Balan argued, recalling how The Dirty Picture had many people warning her not to do it. “People said it would end my career, but I was sure of it. And I’m glad I did it.”

Vidya Balan calls out boring women-led films says scripts lack fun boldness and charm Instagram/thepeacockmagazine_

What does Vidya Balan want from the next wave of Hindi films?

Simply put: more life. Vidya Balan is not asking for scripts that ignore complexity, but ones that don’t shy away from joy, pleasure, or humour either. She wants to see women who mess up, laugh loudly, seduce confidently, and live fully on screen.

“We’re having more fun in real life now than ever before,” she pointed out. “So why shouldn’t that reflect in the films we make?”

Vidya Balan says post-pandemic films have become too cautious and female stories have lost their spark Instagram/thepeacockmagazine_

Her message to writers and directors is clear: step away from formula, embrace risk, and let women lead stories that don’t just endure pain, but celebrate pleasure too.