Vidhu Vinod Chopra recalls Vidya Balan giving him gaalis during Parineeta auditions: ‘Who does he think he is?'

Indian Express

8 hours ago

Vidya Balan made a remarkable debut in Hindi cinema with Parineeta, an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1914 Bengali novella of the same name. Directed by the late Pradeep Sarkar and produced by veteran filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the movie marked the beginning of Vidya's Bollywood journey. As Parineeta completed two decades, the cast and crew came together for a special screening to commemorate the milestone. Speaking at the event, Vidhu opened up about how Vidya was cast in the film. He recalled the rigorous audition process she underwent, which left her visibly frustrated.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra said, 'A lot of top heroines wanted to do Parineeta. But Pradeep Sarkar said there's a new girl from Chembur. So I said, 'Test this girl from Chembur.' I don't usually meet actors during screen tests. Vidya had gone through a lot of tests. Then I told Pradeep, 'Let's do one final test.' Before the test, she abused me, 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, call her immediately.'
Vidya Balan, who was also present at the event, recalled the exact moment she found out she had landed the role, in the middle of an Enrique Iglesias concert. 'I was at the Enrique concert and I was with Mr. Chopra's assistant. So Dada (Pradeep Sarkar) called him, and I told him, 'Dada, I'm in the middle of the concert, I'll call you back.' But he said, 'No, Mr. Chopra wants to speak to you.' So I said, 'Yeah, I'll call you after the concert.' So then Mr. Chopra said, 'Teri zindagi badalne waali hai, bahar nikal (Your life is about to change, come outside).' I was like, 'What are you going to tell me, that I didn't get the part again?' I didn't think otherwise for a second, because I had gone through so many tests. But he said, 'Come out.' So I came out and he told me on the phone, 'You're my Parineeta.' And I started crying right there. It was a crazy moment.'
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Also in attendance at the event was Dia Mirza, who played an important role in Parineeta. She reflected on how Parineeta marked a turning point in her own career: 'Parineeta was a remarkable experience because up until then I never felt respected as an artiste. And it was actually my first working experience where I felt respected. It's a very rich experience because I think what Dada did, of course, he was a meticulous planner and he had an extraordinary vision, and he would rehearse us to death, but his love for every character, his love for the story, his attention to detail made the experience so rich and so wonderful. And you know, Vidhu Vinod Chopra is the only producer I have worked with who has given me a bonus, not once, but twice. I always say that in an industry that really struggles to give women their place of respect, it is just so incredible to work with two men who gave us nothing but that, every step of the way. And I'm so grateful that 20 years later, I'm getting this opportunity to share this with all of you. And that bonus came to every crew member.'
While Vidya Balan has often expressed gratitude to Vidhu Vinod Chopra for launching her, she also recently spoke about the challenges she faced in the early days, including being asked to consider cosmetic surgery. In a past interview, she revealed that Vidhu had once suggested she undergo plastic surgery for her nose. She eventually turned to director Pradeep Sarkar for support during that time.