Vidya Balan completed 20 years in Indian cinema. The actress's debut film Parineeta will be re-released on its 20th anniversary. In an exclusive interview with NDTV, the actress called the film her "dream debut."
"I realise that I was so fortunate to have had the kind of debut I did in Parineeta. It really was a dream debut. Where you get to play the titular role in your very first film? It's Sarat Chandra Chatterjee's novel; it's Vinod Chopra, Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Rekha Ji...and Pradeep Sarkar, the man who had faith in me at a time when I don't know if I did. Everything about Parineeta is Dada. Every frame, for lack of a better word, it reeks of him. It's his vision," Vidya told NDTV.
Exclusive: Original storyboard frame of Parineeta
She added, "He used to storyboard every shot, and I had seen the storyboard of the entire film before we started shooting it. We also did an audio board, and then when you see the film, it's mesmerising. I look at myself, and I am like, 'Oh wow! Who is she?' That's Dada for you. That's what he did with me, the way he presented me, the way he moulded me. The way he got me to perform, the music and everything was so magical about Parineeta. Everyone deserves a director like Dada."
Exclusive: Original storyboard frame of Parineeta
Background
PVR INOX, India's largest cinema exhibitor, will re-release a restored version of Parineeta on its 20th anniversary. The film, based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1914 Bengali novel, has been restored by Prasad Film Labs.
Vinod Chopra Films has become the first production house in India to restore its entire film library in 8K resolution, with remastered 5.1 surround sound. The restoration process took over four years, with part of the work carried out at L'Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy, a globally renowned lab for restoring cinematic classics.
The re-release also celebrates 20 years of Vidya Balan's journey in Indian cinema and 50 years of Vinod Chopra Films.
Released in 2005, Parineeta went on to win National and Filmfare Awards and is remembered for its soundtrack, storytelling and performances.
The restored version of Parineeta will release across select theatres in India on August 29, 2025, for one week.
