Vidya Balan in hard-hitting real life drama

Mumbai, Nov 17 (IANS) "Parineeta" actress Vidya Balan has signed two new films outside the Vidhu Vinod Chopra banner but says she remains totally loyal to the production house.

"Why is belonging to a camp considered such a negative thing in this industry?" Balan asks.

She has just completed Chopra's "Eklavya" and will soon complete another film for the same banner, "The Mahatma Versus Munnabhai", (directed by Raj Kumar Hirani) in which she plays a radio jockey.

"I'm proud to be associated with one of the best banners in the country. And it isn't any kind of restlessness that has made me sign Sourabh Narang's film.

"There were many offers but it was this one that made me sit up. I hadn't even seen Sourabh's first film, 'Vastu Shastra'. When I heard the script I was completely moved. Any actress would be foolish to turn down such a film," she told IANS.

The character provides Vidya a chance to move far beyond "Parineeta", into an area where she skirts hard-hitting headlines.

Vidya chuckles: "It's a role where I have to pull out all stops and deliver a performance...or else!"

The project, to be produced by Anurradha Prasad of BAG films, is actually inspired by the research that Narang undertook while directing "Haqeeqat", a reality show on Sahara.

Narang, an erstwhile Ram Gopal Varma protégé, says: "Vidya had tears in her eyes when she heard the script. She's a phenomenal actress. And I couldn't think of anyone else for the role. After 'Vastu Shastra' I had to move ahead, move back to my roots and make something rooted to reality."

The film will be launched and completed early next year.

Vidya has also said yes to Nikhil Advani's next film in which she'll co-star with John Abraham.

Click the Movie button below for more info:
Parineeta