Vidya Balan is one of the finest actresses and has come a long way in her career. Her performance in Parineeta was hailed by everyone. Well, in a recent interview, the actress opened up about her experience
of working with legendary Rekha during the early days of her career. She recalled the moment when she first saw Rekha and revealed that she was mesmerised.
In an exclusive interview with Filmfare, Vidya Balan opened up about seeing Rekha for the first time. She revealed that director Pradeep Sarkar insisted her to come to the set during song Kaisi Paheli Zindagani shoot. “Dada (Pradeep Sarkar) called me and said come for the shoot. The time I walked into Rekha’s van, I was not shooting for that song. My father’s favourite film also is Khoon Bhari Maang co-incidentally. And I was like, oh my god, Rekha. I remember seeing her picture in The Times of India for the first ever time. I was mesmerized. I was like, who’s this ethereal creature? I had not seen any films before that,” she was quoted saying.
To note, Parineeta is coming back to the big screen. To mark 20 years since its original release, the 2005 romantic drama is being re-released in cinemas by PVR INOX. The film will have an all India re-release in select theatres on August 29, exclusively for a week.
Based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s 1914 Bengali novel, Parineeta was produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and directed by Pradeep Sarkar. It featured Vidya Balan in her debut film role, alongside Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt. The film stood out for its music by Shantanu Moitra, its visual storytelling, and its Kolkata backdrop, which played a key role in shaping the film’s mood and feel.
Speaking about the restored and remastered release, Vidhu Vinod Chopra shared, “ Parineeta has always held a special place in my heart. It’s more than just a film—it’s a journey of love, elegance, and soulful music. Every frame carries its own emotion, evolving with the story in a way that touches something deep within. And now, in the restored and remastered 8k version, the visuals are even richer and the beautiful locations even more beautiful. I am so proud of Pradeep Sarkar for the way he made this film, the way he captured the grandeur of old Kolkata and infused it with timeless beauty that still lingers.”
Vidya Balan , who made her debut with Parineeta, said, “This is a very emotional moment for me. Parineeta is where it all began… Every frame of the film carries a piece of my heart, and I’ll forever be grateful to Pradeep da (my Dada) and Mr. Vinod Chopra for believing in me. I owe so much of who I am as an actor to this film. Even after all these years, people remember the film, the songs, and how it made them feel. People say every frame in the film is like a painting…and that is Pradeep Sarkar’s magic… So I do hope people and the new generation discover old-world love through Parineeta.”
