Vidya Balan, known for speaking her mind, recently shared her views on modern filmmaking. She expressed concern that many young directors, influenced by global content, are losing touch with the essence of Indian storytelling. “I may sound like a senior when I say this,” she admitted, “but they don’t know our kind of storytelling—it feels alienating and doesn’t engross me.”
Vidya Balan believes that the emotional connection between a film and its audience often gets lost when directors avoid using close-up shots. “A lot of these directors don’t even use close-ups. I find that shocking,” she said. For her, close-ups are powerful—they allow characters to speak without words, letting the audience connect through the eyes. She feels this emotional simplicity is what makes 'masala' films so enjoyable: they’re direct, heartfelt, and free of pretension, allowing viewers to feel the moment rather than overthink it.
Continuing the conversation, Vidya Balan cited Shah Rukh Khan as the perfect example of emotional storytelling. While his iconic arms-stretched pose is widely recognised, she emphasised that it’s not just the gesture that made him the King of Hearts. “Imagine if he was only doing this (imitates the pose)—he wouldn’t be as loved,” she said, adding that it’s the vulnerability in his close-ups and the emotion in his eyes that truly won over the nation.
