Actress Vidya Balan crooned Parineeta song Kaisi Paheli Zindgani with Bollywood veteran Rekha at a special screening of the 2005 romance drama in Mumbai on Monday.
The event was also attended by other celebrities including Dia Mirza, Shreya Ghoshal, Shantanu Maitra, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Swanand Kirkire and Rajkumar Hirani.
Swanand Kirkire, the lyricist for the songs in the film, shared a video on Instagram that shows Vidya Balan singing along with Rekha, Shreya Ghoshal and Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Shantanu Maitra and Dia Mirza also joined them on stage.
Swanand penned a note alongside the video, remembering filmmaker Pradeep Sarkar, who directed Parineeta.
“I was able to capture some once-in-a-lifetime moments from the Parineeta re-release premiere! So many icons in one frame — with the timeless muse Rekha ji at the heart of it all. Missed @pradeepsarkar, the real magician who left us a little too soon… but his spirit lived in every frame tonight,” Swanand wrote.
In the film, Rekha made a special appearance in the song Kaisi Paheli Zindagani, which was sung by Sunidhi Chauhan. The track became a hit for its engaging composition, sultry dance moves and Chauhan’s enigmatic vocals.
Another video of Vidya Balan performing dhunuchi dance with filmmaker-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra at the premiere event has gone viral on social media. The 46-year-old actress looked stunning in a gorgeous red sari and minimal jewellery.
An 8k restored version of Parineeta is set to re-release in theatres on August 29 to mark the film’s 20th anniversary. The film also stars Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt in important roles.
Based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s iconic 1914 Bengali novel, the romantic drama was released in theatres on June 10, 2005. The film follows the story of Lolita (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 was backed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra.
The film’s ensemble cast features Raima Sen, Dia Mirza and Sabyasachi Chakrabarty in pivotal roles.
