Vidya Balan Remembers Seeing Rekha For First Time At Parineeta Set: 'I Was Mesmerized'
To note, Parineeta is coming back to the big screen. The film will have an all India re-release in select theatres on August 29.
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."
First Published:
August 06, 2025, 14:32 IST
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
B'desh in Tolly defies narrative of discord in film fraternity
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: Shooting with Opar Bangla actors and having them for the premieres for their films here—a regular event in the Bengali film industry's calendar—was delayed or suspended after the uprising in Bangladesh last year. But one year later, there has been a change in the sense of uncertainty over the reception of Opar Bangla artistes in Tollywood. Many are hopeful of the situation returning to the way things were in the past with consistent Indo-Bangla collaborations. Epar Bangla released Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury's 'Dear Maa' in July and Suman Mukhopadhyay's 'Putulnacher Itikatha' in Aug, both with Opar Bangla's Jaya Ahsaan in the lead. Come Sept, Anik Dutta's 'Joto Kando Kolkatatei' has an Opar Bangla actor, Q Nawshaba Ahmed. Unlike immediately after the uprising in Dhaka in July last year, when Opar Bangla artistes had stopped shooting in Kolkata or attending their premieres in Tollywood, Ahsaan has attended all events in the city for her recent two films. In 'Putulnacher Itikatha', Mukhopadhyay retained Ahsaan's own dialect, reminiscent of her roots in Bangladesh. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gubug: Unsold Sofas Prices May Surprise You (Prices May Surprise You) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo by Taboola by Taboola Her character, that of Kusum, in the original Manik Bandyopadhyay's novel, did not have it. Mukhopadhyay wasn't scared of backlash or questions on why a lone village girl would speak in that dialect in a film, rooted in a Bengal village. "We shot the film in 2022. With this dialect, I wanted to establish that Kusum came from another village. .. but even after the uprising, I never thought of dubbing her dialogues for fears of backlash. I hear people in Bangladesh are eager to watch this film," Mukhopadhyay said. Tollywood interprets this eagerness as a positive sign. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata The last two films from producer Firdausul Hasan's stable, starring Bangladesh's Chanchal Chowdhury and Ziaul Faruq Apurba, were released without them attending any event here. "Both Srijit Mukherji's 'Padatik' and Pratim D Gupta's 'Chaalchitro: The Frame Fatale' featured Bangladeshi actors. But after the Bangladesh upheaval, neither of the actors could visit Kolkata for the releases. 'Padatik' won the Best Audience award at the 23rd Dhaka International Film Festival but we could not go," Hasan said. Hasan hopes Q Nawshaba Ahmed will attend the premiere of the puja release of 'Joto Kando Kolkatatei'. "Trade ties were not affected even when relations between the two nations were tense. For Bengali films to prosper, we should be able to take advantage of the big market in Epar and Opar Bangla," Hasan added. Ahsaan, who was in Kaushik Ganguly's 'Ardhangini', has completed the shooting of 'Arghangini 2' in Kolkata. "I want to work on good projects. I'm happy I could come to Kolkata from Dhaka for the release of 'Dear Ma' and 'Putulnacher Itikatha'. In my country, regular articles came out on the Indian releases. I am happy with the adulation I am receiving here," she said from Dhaka. Ganguly told TOI: "Nobody in Bangladesh bothered about why Jaya acted in my film. We have got the ideal situation required for filming with Bangladeshi actors. It's good the situation is normalising. We can't divide Tagore and Nazrul. If someone from Opar Bangla is suitable for a role, it's fair to cast him or her."
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Indian Express
Rs 1,469 cr revenue for PVR INOX with net loss shrinking to Rs 54 cr in first quarter; box office collections rise by 22 percent
At a time when speculations and theories suggest that the show business in India is struggling to catch a break, particularly owing to the underperformance of Bollywood movies, the earnings registered by cinema halls tell a different story altogether. In the first quarter of the ongoing 2025-26 financial year that ended in June, multiplex giant PVR INOX's consolidated revenue rose by 23 percent to Rs 1,469 crore, with EBITDA margins reaching 27.04 percent, compared to Rs 1,191 crore during the same period last year, as per a report in CNBC TV18. With its consolidated net loss shrinking to Rs 54 crore from last time's Rs 179 crore, the firm has kicked off this fiscal year strongly. Box office collections reportedly increased by nearly 22 per cent, driven by a 12 percent rise in admissions and an 8 percent increase in average ticket prices. Now, film exhibitors and other stakeholders are hopeful that a recovery might be possible after all, following a prolonged rough patch, especially with many highly anticipated films gearing up for release in the coming months. Despite widespread claims that there were no takers for Bollywood films, the Hindi film industry contributed the most to PVR INOX's impressive run this time. While a total of 10 films crossed the Rs 100 crore mark in the quarter ended June 30, five — Raid 2, Sitaare Zameen Par, Kesari Chapter 2, Housefull 5 and Jaat — were Hindi movies, and three among them entered the Rs 200 crore club. As a result, PVR INOX's Bollywood box office collections surged by 38 per cent year-on-year (YoY). Hollywood films also had a strong showing during this period, with a 72 per cent YoY growth, fuelled by major successes like Mission: Impossible 8, Final Destination: Bloodlines, Ballerina and F1. Regional films such as Good Bad Ugly, Thudarum and Tourist Family also made substantial contributions. While the multiplex giant aims to introduce 100 new screens this year, it has already managed to open 20 of them. The company's CFO, Gaurav Sharma, told the publication that the food and beverage (F&B) segment also fared well during this quarter, recording a 23 per cent rise in revenue. The per-head spending, he added, reached its highest Q1 level ever. He also noted a 17 per cent increase in advertising revenue for PVR INOX.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
9 hours ago
- Business Standard
PVR INOX narrows Q1 loss to ₹54 crore on strong lineup, cost control
PVR INOX, India's largest cinema exhibitor, has focused on tighter control over its operating costs through reduction in its electricity and marketing expenses to narrow down its losses. This was also helped by a strong lineup of movies from Hollywood and Bollywood in the first quarter of 2025-26 (Q1FY26). 'We have to have our eye on the ball as far as cost-cutting is concerned,' Ajay Bijli, founder of PVR Cinemas and managing director (MD) of PVR INOX, told Business Standard in an interview. 'On our comparable properties, there has been a marginal increase in manpower, our electricity costs have gone down along with marketing and rent expenditure (in Q1FY26 on a year-on-year or Y-o-Y basis). It is an extremely important part of our strategy to not just rely on movies and improve our revenues but also keep an eye on the cost.' PVR INOX's consolidated net loss narrowed down to ₹54 crore in Q1FY26 on a Y-o-Y basis. The company's revenue from operations rose by 23.38 per cent to ₹1,469.1 crore during the quarter compared with Q1FY25. Its other income increased by 12.89 per cent Y-o-Y to ₹32.4 crore. In the earnings call, an executive of the company said that PVR INOX was able to control electricity consumption by air-conditioning utilities based on the occupancy levels within the cinema halls. It has also deployed solar panels in the cinema, which have reduced its dependence on grid electricity. PVR INOX's profit before depreciation, interest, and taxes (PBDIT) rose by 53.32 per cent to ₹429.6 crore in Q1FY26 compared with the same quarter last year. In Q1FY26, a total of 10 films crossed the ₹100 crore mark, and three crossed the ₹200 crore mark. Bollywood box office collections of PVR INOX surged by 38 per cent in the quarter on a Y-o-Y basis, fuelled by films like Ajay Devgn's Raid 2, Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par, Kesari Chapter 2, Housefull 5, and Jaat, its earnings release stated. Similarly, with back-to-back major releases from Hollywood like Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Final Destination Bloodlines, From the World of John Wick: Ballerina and F1, PVR INOX saw 20 per cent rise in admissions during the quarter on a Y-o-Y basis for its premium and experiential formats like IMAX and 4DX. Bijli noted that the momentum in the industry is back, both from the filmmakers' side and the consumers' side, for watching movies on the big screen. 'Things are only going to get better from here. In July, despite the nail-biting (cricket) Test series between India and England, people came and watched movies like Jurassic World Rebirth, Superman, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. There's also an amazing amount of traction that we are seeing for the August 15 weekend, when movies like War 2 and Coolie will be releasing,' he said. The company observed 34 million admissions during the quarter, up by 12 per cent on a Y-o-Y basis. It recorded its highest-ever food and beverage spend per head, which rose 10 per cent to ₹148, according to the release. PVR INOX opened 20 new screens in Q1FY26 and plans to open 100 new screens this year, Bijli added.
