 Vidya 's next appearance was in Ekta Kapoor 's production The Dirty Picture , a biopic based on the life and death of the controversial Indian actress Silk Smitha . Vidya was cast as Silk , who was — in Vidya 's words — " known for her brazenness and in @-@ your @-@ face sexuality . " She described the role as the " boldest " she had ever played , one that " required a lot of mental preparation , " and to look the part , she gained 12 kilograms ( 26 lb ) . The film opened to major critical acclaim , and Vidya received unanimous praise for her portrayal which several reviewers regarded as her best performance to date . Khalid Mohamed observed , " She 's extraordinary : gutsy , consistently in character and unafraid of exposing her darker side . Here 's the kind of complex performance which you haven 't evidenced in years and years . " Her director Milan Luthria described her as the contemporary claimant of the " sex @-@ symbol " title , and compared her " voluptuousness " to the likes of yesteryear actresses Sridevi and Vyjayanthimala . The film was eventually declared a blockbuster , earning ₹ 1 @.@ 14 billion ( US $ 17 million ) worldwide . Vidya won a second Filmfare Award , a third consecutive Screen Award , and a National Film Award for Best Actress . 
