Saif Ali Khan praises Vidya Balan for her role in Parineeta: She was extraordinary

Mumbai Aug 29 (IANS) The re-release of the 2005 superhit movie Parineeta has made its fans thrilled. The movie that starred Vidya Balan, Saif Ali Khan, Sanjay Dutt in important roles marked the actress' debut into Bollywood.

Reflecting on the film and talking about Pradeep Sarkar, Saif Ali Khan said, “There’s something about seeing a film like Parineeta on the big screen, and I’m excited to see how audiences react. Parineeta will always remain close to my heart for many reasons; it was one of the most beautifully shot films I’ve been in.”

Remembering the legendary filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar, Saif said, “Pradeep Sarkar, whom we miss dearly today, is one of the artistic directors I have worked with. He took so much care over every frame and brought so much beauty to that film. Vidya very kindly recently messaged me and told me that you can feel Dada in every frame, and I completely agree, and we miss him. It's a wonderful testament to him to have this film released because when your work speaks for you like that, it's a monument to remember him by, and that's what I would like to remember him as."

Talking about his character and Vidya Balan, he added, “At the time I did Parineeta, it felt very different from the kind of roles I was offered. Playing Shekhar was a challenge since he wasn’t the usual romantic hero that I was used to playing, but he was flawed, sometimes difficult, and vulnerable, and his journey was one of self-discovery. That gave me a chance to step into a more nuanced space as an actor, and I found that deeply rewarding; it was a more classic role, based on Sarat Chandra’s novel. It is that one performance where I channeled the class of the tiger and played it like that… I love my work in that film!!!"

Talking about working with Vidya Balan, Sauf exclaimed, “Working with Vidya was amazing—she was extraordinary for her first movie; she brought so much grace and poetry and freshness to the role. This film is testament to her talent; she was simply phenomenal in it. The whole cast was amazing. The set design and atmosphere transported us into an old Kolkata that doesn’t exist anymore but a place that my mother would remember and one of the most beautiful, artistic places in the world. A Kolkata that in part maybe doesn’t exist anymore—that’s what makes the film more nostalgic.”

He also spoke about the fine music of the movie that still lingers on the minds of people, even 20 years after its release. “The music too was phenomenal—I got to see Sonu Nigam singing, and I became aware of what a wonderful singer he is in this movie. I had heard him before, but this is the first time I saw the minute variations he was bringing with his voice and heard him being directed and responding. Shantanau Moitra, of course, did fantastic music. I’ve got a record of the music, which is the best way of hearing it, and it takes me back.” He added, "Parineeta means so much to me; being in a kurta and dhoti and playing the guitar on the Hooghly River is one of the most lyrical images in my mind." It's one of the great things about being an actor, where you get to create these things that can last for a very long time.”

Saif couldn't stop praising filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and he said, “Thank you to Mr. Vinod Chopra for offering me this part; he has been an amazing producer because of the various contributions he has made to me personally as well as professionally. When I’ve done good work, he has been a big support and encouragement. Also, at this particular time, he was a personal support too in many, many ways and an important part of my career. I would like to thank him for giving me this film and making the film for all of us and creating the environment for it to happen!”

The timeless romantic drama, adapted from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's iconic 1914 Bengali novel, has been restored by Prasad Film Labs. Vinod Chopra Films is the first production house in India to restore its entire film library in 8K resolution, with soundtracks remastered in 5.1 surround sound—a meticulous process that took over four years to complete. Some of the VCF films are being restored at L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy, a globally acclaimed lab known for restoring cinematic classics.

Parineeta is all set for a re-release from August 29, 2025, exclusively for one week.

–IANS

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