Bollywood star Vidya Balan recently revisited an amusing yet awkward memory from her early days in the film industry. Speaking at the Bollywood Hungama Style Icons Summit, the powerhouse performer candidly revealed how she once turned down a film opposite Akshaye Khanna—and didn’t have the courage to tell him herself!The ‘Kahaani’ actress shared that she didn’t connect with the script and decided to back out of the project. But instead of personally informing Akshaye, she asked her manager to pass on the message to the director. The twist? She ended up running into Akshaye soon after on the sets of Salaam-e-Ishq in 2007.“There was a film offered to me opposite Akshaye Khanna, and for some reason, I didn’t connect with the script,” Vidya recalled. “But I didn’t pick up the phone and tell him that. I asked my manager to convey it to the director.”Little did she know, Akshaye hadn’t forgotten. “He fired me,” Vidya laughed. “He was like, ‘Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t want to do the film?’ I went up to John [Abraham] and said, ‘Can you please save me?’ I was so new back then. I didn’t want any confrontation.”Though the moment was tense at first, Vidya soon realized Akshaye was just messing with her. “Of course, he was only pulling my leg,” she said with a smile. The experience, however, left a lasting impression.She added that over time, and especially after marrying producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, she’s grown to respect the enormous effort that goes into crafting a film. “Nobody likes to hear ‘no,’ and I understand that now more than ever. I’m not a rude person—I say it like it is, but I value the work that goes into creating a script,” she shared sincerely.On the work front, Vidya was last seen lighting up the screen in Anees Bazmee’s horror-comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, alongside Kartik Aaryan, Madhuri Dixit, and Triptii Dimri. The film hit theatres on November 1, 2024, and brought her iconic charm back to the big screen.
