Vidya Balan recalls losing out on ‘8-9 films in South’ after being considered a jinx in Mohanlal’s shelved movie

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Recently, Vidya Balan had a chat with Rodrigo Canelas on The Something Bigger Show. During their discussion, the actress who played Parineeta revealed that due to the cancellation of her Malayalam movie with Mohanlal, she didn’t get a chance to work in around 8-9 South Indian films.

Vidya Balan on considered a ‘jinx’ in Malayalam cinema

During our chat, Vidya Balan reminisced about her initial years in the film industry and mentioned an early role she had opposite Mohanlal. According to her account, “In my Malayalam film, I probably worked for around 6-7 days. The director and actor Mohanlal were experiencing difficulties, which meant that we didn’t shoot for several days.

At that time, I wasn’t aware of how filmmaking worked, assuming it functioned in this manner. Then, I was informed that production had halted, and I returned to Mumbai. By now, rumors had circulated about a South Indian girl who was acting in a Malayalam movie at a time when many South actresses were Punjabis.

During this time, Vidya Balan discloses that she’s been approached by numerous film projects in the Southern film industry. Film directors have reached out to her, shared storylines, and discussed compensation.

As an ardent admirer putting words to Vidya’s sentiment, “Initially, I might have agreed to star in around eight to nine films down South. The thought crossing my mind at the time was that I had become a star. However, little did I know that Mohanlal’s film Chakram was put on hold. Once it was halted, those eight or nine roles I had been offered all seemed to vanish.

Summarizing her statement, the actress suggested that the Southern filmmakers believed it was her “vibrant spirit” or “dynamic presence” that resulted in the delay of the release of the movie “Chakram,” as they perceived her as having bad luck attached to it.

Mohanlal and Vidya Balan’s shelved movie

Back in the past, the actors Mohanlal and Vidya Balan had planned to work together in a film called “Chakram”. This project was under the guidance of seasoned director Kamal, with Dileep contributing as a supporting actor.

After the movie was put on hold, the late director AK Lohithadas revitalized the project with some changes in the cast. Instead of Mohanlal, the main character was portrayed by Prithviraj Sukumaran. Meera Jasmine took over as the female lead, replacing Vidya.

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2025-07-09 21:37