Vidya's fans halt traffic in Kolkata

Glimpses of her bold avatar in the promos of The Dirty Picture have probably changed the way fans look at Vidya Balan. But on the east coast, the actor connects to her audience at a different level ever since she played the Bengali Lolita in director Pradeep Sarkar's film Parineeta (2005), which was
based on author Saratchandra Chatterjee's novel. And the fan-following seems to have multiplied since, as was recently witnessed on a visit to Kolkata, where she is currently promoting her film.

On Thursday, Vidya visited a jewellery store on the Park Street. And apparently, the crowd went wild after discovering her presence. "It was scary. As soon as they saw her, the entire crowd went insane and started chanting her name," says Vidya's spokesperson.

The numbers kept multiplying, and became uncontrollable after a point of time, though there were almost 10 bouncers on duty. Finally, Kolkata police had to take the situation into their own hands, as it caused a huge traffic snarl. "We had to call the cops, who rushed in and brought the situation under control. They then escorted her to the car and accompanied her to the hotel," the spokesperson adds.

Ask what Vidya's reaction was upon seeing the excitement of the crowd, and the spokesperson says, "Vidya was completely taken aback looking at the response. Though, she still calls Kolkata her second home."