Vidya Balan Gets Candid Speaking Of Religion, Intolerance, Freedom & Nationalism

Actor Vidya Balan, who never fails to surprise us with her acting skills and choices of movies, was recently seen portraying a space scientist in Jagan Shakti’s ‘Mission Mangal’. In the movie that is based on ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission, Vidya played a scientist who is a firm believer in God.

But Vidya’s portrayal of a God-fearing ISRO scientist has raised questions as to the co-existence of science and religion.

However, she believes that science and religion can co-exist rather than being pitted against each other. Talking about her character, Tara Shinde in ‘Mission Mangal’ Vidya said that a person can have multiple identities but there is a problem in the way being religious is interpreted today.

“I think there is a problem with the way religion is being interpreted today. I know a lot of people who are shying away from calling themselves religious and I am one of them. I have always felt like I don’t want to say I’m religious. I always call myself spiritual. Religious has become or obtained a negative connotation because being religious has become synonymous with being intolerant. But they don’t have to be divorced,” Vidya told to the media.

She further added that her character in the movie believes in a power beyond science.

Talking about the increasing ‘You versus Me’ debate which she thinks, has led to the dilution in the concept of ‘us’, she said, “Not just in our country but the world over, it is becoming you vs me. That feeling of us has been diluted lately. I wonder why though? Does it have to do with fewer resources or access to fewer resources and therefore wanting to hold it and then finding groups to align it with religion or some language or region or race or something like that. I don’t know.”

She went on to say that we need to question how open-minded we are.

“This is also a world, where freedom, I think means that I want to be free but I want to control you. That, to me, is not freedom. Everyone is screaming out loud. There are some blatant wrong things that are angering but look at what happens on Twitter. Everyone is taking offence to what is being said.”

She candidly spoke about the integration of nationalism and cinema and said that nationalism should be there in cinema and not in cinema halls.

“There are so many things that Indians can be proud of but we don’t necessarily do that. When we travel across the globe, you realise India is so rich in colour, heritage, natural beauty. There are some attempts to preserve it, market it and the kind of tourism it will attract. So we need to celebrate our nation,” she added.

Although the debate on the existence of God can never see an end, we should be proud of the fact that there are millions of people living harmoniously in India, practising the religion they believe in. All we need to do is respect the choices of others. You do you!

What’s did you think of Vidya’s take? Tell us!

Cover image: source

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