Vidya Balan cheers for differently-abled children

Actress Vidya Balan left spellbound to
see a dance-performance by children
suffering from cerebral palsy during a
charity event in Kolkata.

"Please forget everything else about us.
Today we are before you only as
dancers," said a kid from Indian Institute
of Cerebral Palsy (IICP) before starting
the performance.

As the children started swinging their
hands to the tune of the inspirational
song Aashayein, the entire audience
including Balan were left mesmerised.

"It really touched my heart," said the
Kahaani star, who was here for a fund-
raiser organised by the Bengal Chamber
of Commerce to help children with
disabilities.

A congenital disorder, cerebral palsy
causes physical disability in human
development in various areas of body
movement.

Vidya Balan, 35, who had donned the
role of a brave mother in Paa- a film
based on a rare genetic condition
progeria, said she does not think of
herself as a social activist after putting
her weight behind various women and children issues.

"I don't think I see myself as an activist
at all. I am an actor first and the more I
focus on my acting the more I can
leverage attention on issues," she said.