Sometimes, a character doesn’t leave an actor long after the film is over, living inside them as a cause. For Vidya Balan, Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh (2016) would be one such movie. Since leading the thriller that depicted her as a survivor of child sexual abuse, the actor has been involved with the non-profit organisation Arpan to raise awareness about the issue and the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. This year, she leads its campaign, POCSO Pakad Lega.
“Arpan instituted the Child Safety Week in 2019. Slowly, this initiative has been growing in terms of visibility. When they approached me to lend my voice to the campaign this year, I was more than happy. It was another step forward in the right direction,” Balan tells mid-day.
Vidya Balan played a survivor of child sexual abuse in ‘Kahaani 2’
Given their influence, it’s not surprising that stars are sought after to champion social causes. Should they also extend this responsibility to the screen, by being conscious about the politics of the stories? Balan, who has built her career around progressive movies, says, “I won’t place the onus of social responsibility on artistes alone because today more than ever, ordinary citizens are using their voice. It’s wonderful when a popular celebrity leverages their stardom to bring visibility to a cause. But I think it’s everyone’s responsibility to be aware of gender politics, of their own double standards and misogyny before pointing fingers at others. Today, everyone is out there expressing their opinions, finding faults with each other. But they should live by example rather than just being armchair activists.”
In her 20-year career, the actor has noticed changes, both good and bad. She notes that there is more scope to tell stories about uncomfortable truths today. The flipside? That it has no place on the big screen. “I think people want to forget about real-life issues when they go to theatres. But we have to keep telling our stories in whatever way possible. Where economics is involved, [telling them] gets a bit tough. But thanks to OTT today, there is more scope to tell all kinds of stories.”