I never donate to build religious structures, says Vidya Balan

Actor Vidya Balan recently expressed her views on the growing religious polarisation in India, noting that the nation has increasingly sought "identity" through religion and other societal concepts.

When asked about the polarisation of religion in India, Vidya said, “I feel we are definitely more polarised. As a nation, we did not have a religious identity before but now I don’t know why… It’s not just politics, it is also social media because we are all lost in this world and looking for an identity, which we don’t have organically, we are looking for things to attach ourselves to."

In a recent interview with Unfiltered by Samdish, she added, “So, everything has become… Whether it is religion or this wokeness, with people saying, ‘This is who I am,’ but you don’t know who you are! Which is why you are going, looking for these things. We all need a sense of belonging and in this world, with the proliferation of social media, we are lonelier than ever. At a very superficial level, we are attaching ourselves to ideas and concepts conveniently… The world is polarised today, it is not just one country.”

Despite her deep spiritual beliefs and daily puja rituals, Vidya disclosed that she chooses not to donate towards building religious structures. Instead, she focuses her philanthropic efforts on healthcare, sanitation, and education. “Health, sanitation, and education. If someone asks me for a donation to build a religious structure, I never donate. I say if you are building a hospital, a school, or a toilet, I will happily contribute. But not to anymore religious institutions.”

While Vidya acknowledges the importance of social media in today's world, she also expressed caution, particularly regarding political discussions.

She highlighted the risks associated with actors commenting on political matters. “I am scared of politics. What if I get banned? It hasn’t happened with me, thankfully, but now actors are wary about talking about politics because you don’t know who will get offended. Especially around the release of a film, it is the work of 200 people at stake, so I just say keep me away from politics."

She further elaborated on the challenges of navigating social media's volatile landscape, stating, “This has been happening because of social media, people take offense over everything. They give their input even on matters they don’t know much about. So it’s best to zip your mouth and keep working.”

Vidya Balan is currently gracing the big screen in Do Aur Do Pyaar, a romantic comedy alongside Pratik Gandhi.