'Kahaani' To 'Shakuntala Devi': Vidya Balan Films On OTT To Watch This Weekend

Actor Vidya Balan is an unbeatable icon who has spoken up for issues concerning women. It is no wonder that the actor who started her career with 90s Hum Paanch, has acted in so many films that were led by women. The actor knows how to seamlessly transition into her characters. Her repertoire and filmography reflect how amazing of an actor she is!

The Padma Shri awardee debuted in the Hindi film industry opposite Saif Ali Khan in Parineeta. The film was a period film based on a Bengali novella of the same name by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. After Parineeta she went on to star in many projects that were commercially hit and critically acclaimed too. From mass entertainers like Heyy Baby and Salaam-E-Ishq to Ishqiya and the recent film Jalsa, the actor has come a long way.

There's no way one would not really enjoy watching this graceful actor on-screen. We have compiled for you a list of her films on OTT you should watch!

Vidya Balan Films On OTT

Kahaani

Kahaani is one of the best thriller mysteries in the Film Industry in India. This 2012 movie is directed by Sujoy Ghosh and stars Vidya Balan as a pregnant woman who is in search of her husband. She arrives in Kolkata during the festive occasion of Durga Puja to find her husband meanwhile someone is out to kill her. Does she survive? Is she able to find her husband? These questions will be answered by the film streaming on Voot.  The film, which also features Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Parambatra Chatterjee, won three National Film Awards. 

No One Killed Jessica

The story of the film is based on a true event that happened in New Delhi.  In the year 1999, Jessica Lal (Mayra Karn) refused to pour drinks to three men after the last call and was later shot dead for refusing. Though there were plenty of witnesses, Sabrina (Vidya Balan) is helpless in her quest to get justice because one of the accused is a powerful politician's son. No One Killed Jessica is also a reminder of the harsh reality where men in power misuse their resources. The film is currently streaming on Netflix.

Still from No One Killed Jessica (Netflix)

Suggested Reading: Eight Bone-Chilling True Crime Documentaries You Can Watch Online

Bhool Bhulaiyaa

The Priyadarshan directorial is one of the finest horror-comedy to be ever made in the history of Hindi cinema. The film which is a remake of a Malayalam film left people praising Vidya Balan's performance in the film as Avani, a woman with Disassociative Personality Disorder. Nearly a decade old film, yet it tickles everyone's funnybones. The film has an ensemble cast of Akshay Kumar, Rajpal Yadav, Ameesha Patel, Manoj Joshi, Asrani, and Paresh Rawal. The film is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. 

Tumhari Sulu

The film follows the story of Sulu (Balan) a middle-class homemaker who gets the opportunity to flip her life by becoming a radio jockey. The initial ride is bumpy as she struggles to spend time with her kid and her husband (Manav Kaul) which upsets him. The Suresh Triveni directorial then focuses on how she eventually does both and leads a happy life with her family. The movie was a commercial success and was also remade in Tamil. The film is available on Amazon Prime Video.

A still from Tumhari Sulu

Shakuntala Devi 

The ever-charming and versatile actor in 2020 appeared in a couple of projects and one of them was the hit biographical film on Shakuntala Devi, the human-computer and mathematical genius. The film streaming on Amazon Prime Video follows the story of Shakuntala Devi, her journey to fame as a human computer and parts of her personal life that humanised her for the audience. Vidya's performance as the genius tugged at people's hearts. It undoubtedly is a must-watch.