Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s production banner Vidhu Vinod Chopra Films on Tuesday shared pictures from the special screening of the 2005 romance drama Parineeta, held in Mumbai earlier this week.
The event was attended by the film’s cast and crew, including Vidya Balan, Rekha, Dia Mirza, Shreya Ghoshal, Shantanu Maitra, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Swanand Kirkire. Other celebrities like Rajkumar Hirani were also present.
“Some stories live beyond the screen; they live in hearts. #ParineetaPremiereNight was a celebration of timeless cinema, music, performances & memories that only grew richer with time,” the production banner wrote in the caption, adding, “Relive the magic as #Parineeta returns to theatres in stunning 8K remastered glory with 5.1 surround sound, in cinema 29th August onwards”.
During the event, Vidhu Vinod revealed that Vidya has landed the role of Lalita in the film after going over 20 to 25 exhausting rounds of auditions.
“Vidya had gone through a lot of tests. Then I told Pradeep, ‘Let’s do one final test.’ She was so exhausted by the process that she actually muttered gaalis before her final audition. I could see her saying, ‘Who does he think he is?’ By then, she had done 20–25 tests. But then she gave such a brilliant final test, it was unbelievable. I told Pradeep to call her immediately,” he said.
Earlier, Swanand Kirkire, the lyricist for the songs in the film, shared a video on Instagram that shows Vidya Balan singing Kaisi Paheli Zindagani along with Rekha, Shreya Ghoshal and Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Shantanu Maitra and Dia Mirza also joined them on stage.
Based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s iconic 1914 Bengali novel, the romantic drama was released in theatres on June 10, 2005. The film, also starring Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt, follows the story of Lalita (Balan) and Shekhar (Khan), childhood friends whose deep bond blossoms into love, only to be disrupted by the arrival of another man.
While Shantanu Moitra scored the music for the film, Swanand Kirkire penned the lyrics. Additionally, a few songs featured lyrics by Gulzar. The film’s ensemble cast features Raima Sen, Dia Mirza and Sabyasachi Chakrabarty in pivotal roles.
