Enrique Iglesias is performing in Mumbai after two decades and fans can’t keep calm. The two-day concert, scheduled for October 29-30 is also expected to be attended by a bevvy of Bollywood stars.
Vidya Balan is among the big B-Town Enrique fans and is thrilled at the prospect of ‘reliving that moment when I watch him live again’, referring to a life-changing moment in her life.
Interestingly the timeline of Enrique’s first concert in India matches with Balan’s Bollywood debut, as the actress shared a fond memory in an interview with Bombay Times.
The dramatic moment when Vidya landed her first Bollywood role
Vidya Balan told the entertainment publication how she was at the Spanish singer’s concert when Vidhu Vinod Chopra offered her Parineeta, her debut project in Bollywood. While all Balan could think of was staying close to the stage hoping Enrique “pulls me on stage”, a phone call changed her life, and gave her a moment to cherish her entire life.
Vidya told Bombay Times how her friend Pavitra and she were at Enrique’s concert in Mumbai in 2004, when director Pradeep Sarkar called her for Parineeta.
Recalling the dramatic moment, Vidya shared: “We were trying to inch closer to the stage; my phone was off, and Enrique had gone off the stage between the songs. We were hoping to get to the front by the time he comes back to perform, and hoping he pulls me on stage,” she said, adding, “around this time, Pradeep Dada must have called me, but he couldn’t get through, so he called Pavitra. He asked her, ‘Vidya kahan hai?'”
When Pavitra handed over the phone to Vidya, the actress told Sarkar she was at a concert and could only talk to him once she got out. However, soon after Chopra came on line and asked Vidya to get a quieter place where she could speak.
Vidya and her friend grudgingly reached the gate where Chopra told her – ‘You are my Parineeta’, and by then Enrique had come back on stage and sang Hero.
‘Most special moment of my life’
“While the song was always special to me, this moment sealed the deal for me. For me to receive this news when that song played, I couldn’t stop crying. My hands and legs were trembling. It is undoubtedly one of the most special moments of my life,” Vidya told BT.
Enrique has performed twice in India – once in 2004 and another time in 2012. However, he performed in Mumbai only once during his first visit.
‘Enrique is coming back to celebrate my 20 years in movies’
“I jokingly say….I complete 20 years in the movies this year. No wonder, Enrique is coming back to celebrate that! The birth of me as a heroine happened at his show while he sang Hero. I am looking forward to reliving that moment and time,” says Balan.
The Kahaani actress admitted to having a huge crush on the singer.
“Enrique embodies what every young girl my age wanted and hoped for in their boyfriend. There was something raw about him. He was cool and effortlessly sexy. He seemed like a passionate lover. I was definitely crushing on him,” she said.