Vidya Balan has begun work on a new Tamil film with director R. Balki, marking their first collaboration since Paa (2009). She revealed the project via Instagram, sharing a photo with the script and calling it “New Beginnings.” While the film’s title, cast and production details remain undisclosed, it is also Balki’s first Tamil directorial after a career of Hindi-language hits.
Vidya Balan has announced that she has begun work on a new Tamil film with director R. Balki. Through an Instagram Story, the actor made the announcement, sharing a photograph of herself with a script, captioning it "New Beginnings. New Tamil Film with R. Balki."
The picture shows Balan seated holding a script, with long black hair in a braid, holding a pair of spectacles. Currently, no title, cast, or production details of the film has been disclosed.
This project marks the first collaboration between Balan and Balki since Paa (2009). Paa starred Balan as the mother of a child (played by Amitabh Bachchan) diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder known as progeria. The film won Amitabh Bachchan the National Film Award for Best Actor.
Vidya Balan's current slate includes Jailer 2, directed by Nelson Dilipkumar and starring Rajinikanth, in which she plays a character named Kantha. Jailer 2 is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on October 15, 2026.
Earlier this month, audiences were familiarised with the world of Jailer 2, with the introduction of two important characters, Balan's Kantha, and SJ Suryah's Bodhi Kalpak. In the short teaser, Vidya Balan walks down the stairs of a palatial home and speaks to men behind the camera. "You can't leave without listening to us here," she says, as she takes a drag of a cigarette.
Balan is also part of an untitled Hindi comedy directed by Anees Bazmee, co-starring Akshay Kumar and Raashii Khanna. According to reports, this film went on floors in January this year.
Confirmed the film's cast, Anees Bazmee had stated, “The film stars Akshay ji, Vidya ji, Raashii Khanna, Vijay Raaz, Zakir Hussain, Sayaji Shinde and others. Expect a lot of comedy, romance, action, songs, etc.”
Filmmaker and screenwriter R. Balki, whose directorial credits include Cheeni Kum (2007), Paa (2009), Ki & Ka (2016), Padman (2018), returns to direction with this collaboration after his 2023 sports drama, Ghoomer, which starred Abhishek Bachchan and Saiyami Kher.
This project marks Balki's first Tamil directorial, whose previous projects have all been in Hindi.