00:00For the past two years, I'd been getting calls on the day the national awards were
00:07due to be announced and people would tell me, oh, you know, the award is yours and blah
00:12blah blah.
00:13So this year around when they said it, I didn't believe them.
00:17I said I'm not going to until it happens.
00:19And then I got a message.
00:21So I called my family and my mom was in tears.
00:26I'm overjoyed, really.
00:28I feel blessed for having the courage to take up these unconventional roles, for getting
00:35the opportunity to really portray women in a different light each time, to express Shakti
00:44in a different way each time.
00:46But I think that's the order of the day because that's the reality of women today.
00:51And cinema is a reflection of reality.
00:53So that's what you get.
00:54I've been brought up in an environment where I've never been aware of gender and I've never
01:02seen my femininity or my womanhood as a disadvantage.
01:06I've been taught to believe that, you know, my, like I said, Sri Shakti, my femininity,
01:12my womanhood is my biggest strength.
01:14So I've always celebrated it.
01:16A woman is a woman's biggest strength and she should fall back on that innate strength
01:21that is unique to a woman.
01:23I'm sure it's not easy to erase any kind of abuse and it's probably easier for me to
01:29be sitting here and saying that.
01:31But having said that, I think we need to move on.
01:35We need to decide that we're not going to let anything be a disadvantage and create
01:41obstacles.
01:42I think it is, it's more than a leveler, it's a reality check.
01:45Of course, one is aware of what's happening in the world, but you do not get the opportunity
01:50to meet with victims of any kind of exploitation or abuse.
01:55I'm a bit overwhelmed actually.
01:57I must say that this has left me rather moved because I've not come so close to, or face
02:05to face with something like this.
02:07It's shocking that people engage in human trafficking.
02:11That's something that, crime is something I've never ever understood, but human trafficking
02:16is the worst of its sort.
02:18And yet what's incredible is that, especially on the eve of Women's Day, I'd like to say
02:23that my salute to these two girls that I interacted with and to all the other girls at the foundation
02:31and to millions all over the world who've not let their circumstances overpower them.
02:38Instead they've overcome what could have been their biggest handicap or their disadvantage.
02:46It takes a lot of courage to step out of that situation and to try and get out of the situation
02:53calls for, I don't know what, I guess it's divine intervention and God bless them with
03:01greater strength.
03:02We are happy today to have her here.
03:05Her visit to the foundation will have a good impact on the foundation itself because a
03:10lot of people will look at the profile of the foundation.
03:14The foundation is a shelter that gives services to everybody who's in the United Arab Emirates,
03:19cases of domestic violence and child abuse and human trafficking cases.
03:23Hi, this is Vidya Balan wishing all the readers of Gulf News a very happy Women's Day.
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