Actress Vidya Balan, who is set to make a comeback in the horror-comedy franchise Bhool Bhulaiyaa, recently recounted a heartbreaking experience when a film director told her parents that she didn’t look like an actor. The incident affected him so deeply that he “did not look at himself in the mirror” for six months.

talking to Galata India, Vidya, 45, recalled how early in her career she was replaced by a Tamil film after only two days of shooting. Unsure about what caused her to be kicked out, Vidya spoke to the director, but was told that she had no acting or dancing skills.

“I did a Tamil film. I shot for it for two days and then I was replaced. I went to the producer’s office in Chennai with my parents to talk to him. He showed us some clips from the movie and told my parents, ‘Look, the heroine is visible from some angle. (Does she look like a heroine from any angle)? She doesn’t know how to act or dance.’ I was thinking, let me act and dance first; Vidya said, “I hardly shot the film.”

The director’s words had a deep impact on Vidya and she could not look at herself in the mirror for six months. She said, “For six months, I didn’t look at myself in the mirror because I felt ugly. If you want to reject someone, do so, but always be kind with your words because words can be really hurtful.” Whether it’s the power of parenting or parenting, I’ll never forget it.”

However, after this incident, Vidya realized the importance of being kind to others. The actor said, “Being kind to people was an early life lesson because it really destroyed my self-image for six months.”

During an appearance at the India Today Conclave in 2020, Vidya Balan recalled that she was replaced by several films after her project with actor Mohanlal was shelved, as she was termed as “junked”.

“I was heartbroken when I was replaced from all those films. I was thrown out of a very big Tamil film at that time. I couldn’t understand what was happening, and then I met Pradeep Sarkar. who cast me in Euphoria’s Kabhi Aana Tu Meri Gali, and it changed my life,” recalled Vidya.

Now, Vidya Balan will return as Manjulika in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. The film also stars Madhuri Dixit, Kartik Aryan and Trupti Dimri and will release on November 1.