Vidya Balan reminisces about her debut in ‘Parineeta’ as the film returns to cinemas

Actor Vidya Balan walked down memory lane as she recalled working on her debut film ‘Parineeta’, which is set to return to cinemas in a restored version on August 29.Directed by the late Pradeep Sarkar, ‘Parineeta’ was originally released on June 10, 2005. The film starred Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt alongside Balan and was produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It was adapted from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s iconic 1914 Bengali novel.

Reflecting on the shoot, Balan shared a memorable encounter with veteran actor Sharmila Tagore, mother of co-star Saif Ali Khan.

“I remember during the shoot one day, Sharmila ji came to the set and I was so excited to see her. I absolutely love her. I was over the moon. We both greeted each other like we knew each other and Saif — I’ll never forget his expression — he turned around and said, ‘Oh, I didn’t know you knew each other.’ And I said, ‘I know her, she doesn’t know me.’ That moment still makes me smile. Saif’s just got a crazy sense of humour. He’d crack us up with his one-liners and I love that about him,” she said.

Speaking about Sarkar, Balan described him as “the foundation of everything” she learnt in her early years as an actor.

“Dada was the foundation of everything I learned in my early years. His attention to detail was unmatched — he could do a hundred takes, not just for performances, but even to get pigeons flying at the right moment or leaves falling outside the window at exactly the right time. He believed there was rhythm in everything,” she recalled.

Balan went on to share how Sarkar’s quest for precision helped her understand the craft on a deeper level. “Once, I did 28 takes just to get a teardrop timed perfectly to a line in a song. That was the kind of precision he demanded. His guidance taught me to observe, to absorb and to respect every detail in the craft. Even my hair stylist, Shalaka, who’s been with me for 20 years, learned from Dada the importance of balance and detailing. That was his gift to all of us.”

Set in 1960s Kolkata, ‘Parineeta’ tells the story of childhood friends Lalita (Balan) and Shekhar (Khan), who gradually fall in love. Tension arises when Shekhar’s father sets his sights on the home of Lalita’s uncle, hoping to build a hotel on the land. When Lalita learns of the plan, family friend Girish (played by Dutt) steps in to help — sparking a major misunderstanding between the lovers.

The film has been restored by Prasad Film Labs and is set for a special re-release, marking two decades since its original debut.