Bollywood actress Vidya Balan has dedicated a poem to all the daughters of India, ahead of the release of her upcoming film based on the life of late mathematics genius Shakuntala Devi. The video is a tribute to the relationship that a woman has with her mother.
In the black and white video, Vidya narrates how every mother was once a daughter. The recital also looks at empowering every girl to be fearless, break glass ceilings and to believe in themselves to achieve what they dream of.
The film titled "Shakuntala Devi" is based on the life of the late Shakuntala Devi, widely revered as the Human Computer for her innate ability to make complex mathematical calculations within seconds. Actor Vidya Balan says there are moments of self doubt in her life but playing a character like mathematics genius Shakuntala Devi, who owned her choices, acts like a source of inspiration. The actor said the biopic strengthened her belief that it is okay for women to claim ownership on their lives without being apologetic. “She owned her choices and stood her ground. Her story definitely inspired me and has shown me that it is actually okay for a woman to want it all in life,” Vidya told PTI in an interview.
“Shakuntala Devi enjoyed the attention and she couldn’t understand the world saying that ‘You are a wife now or you are a mother and your priorities should change.’ She had this gift and she wanted to celebrate it. She was someone who wanted it all and had it all,” she added.
Directed by Anu Menon, the biographical drama touches upon the various events in the life of Shakuntala Devi, whose ability to solve complex mathematical problems swiftly, made her famous as the “human computer”. In her last solo theatrical outing, Vidya essayed the role of a middle class housewife, struggling to strike a balance between her family duties and her new found ambition for radio jockeying.
The film also stars Sanya Malhotra, Amit Sadh and Jisshu Sengupta, and is scheduled to release on Amazon Prime on July 31.
