Vidya Balan reveals she got ‘addicted’ to smoking after The Dirty Picture: ‘I would smoke 2-3 cigarettes a day’

Vidya Balan shared how she initially felt hesitant to smoke on screen for The Dirty Picture but eventually developed a cigarette addiction while shooting for the film.

By: Entertainment Desk

Chennai | April 25, 2024 07:22 PM IST

2 min read

Vidya Balan developed smoking addiction after The Dirty Picture.

There are certain characters that actors find hard to shake off. These are also characters that influence them deeply and, sometimes, leave them with a bad habit or two. Vidya Balan portrayal of Silk Smitha is one such character. In a recent interaction, Vidya shared how she initially felt hesitant to smoke on screen for the role but eventually developed a cigarette addiction while shooting for the film.

During an interaction on UNFILTERED by Samdish, Vidya revealed, “I had smoked before shooting for the film. I knew how to smoke but I didn’t really smoke…you know what it is. But as a character, you can’t just fake it. I couldn’t have that hesitation because there is a certain perception about women who smoke. Much less now, far more before.”

Also Read | Vidya Balan says she never donates for building religious structures: ‘We didn’t have a religious identity before but now…’

When asked if she smokes now, Vidya responded, “No. I don’t think I should say this on camera but I enjoy smoking. If you told me that there is no harm that a cigarette would do then I would have become a smoker. I love the smell of smoke. Even at bus stops in my college days, I would sit next to people who would smoke.” Talking about how she started smoking regularly after The Dirty Picture, she said, “After The Dirty Picture, I got addicted. I would smoke 2-3 cigarettes a day.”

Vidya Balan’s latest film Do Aur Do Pyaar is currently running in theatres. Also starring Pratik Gandhi, the film received mixed reviews from critics but failed make a mark at the box office. The film has collected only Rs 3.32 crore within seven days of its release.

From the homepage