Saif Ali Khan: Playing Shekhar in Parineeta was a challenge, as he wasn’t the usual romantic hero I was used to

A restored version of Parineeta, the timeless romantic drama adapted from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s iconic 1914 Bengali novel, is re-releasing today. Directed by Pradeep Sarkar, the film went on to win the National Award for Best Debut Film of a Director and became a landmark in Vidya Balan’s career. It starred Vidya alongside Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt. Looking back at the film and his late director Pradeep Sarkar, Saif reflected, “There’s something about seeing a film like Parineeta on the big screen and I’m excited to see how audiences react. Parineeta will always remain close to my heart for many reasons; it was one of the most beautifully shot films I’ve been in. Pradeep Sarkar, who we miss dearly today, was one of the most artistic directors I have worked with. He took so much care of every frame and brought so much beauty to that film.

Vidya very kindly recently messaged me and told me that you can feel dada in every frame, and I completely agree, and we miss him. It’s a wonderful testament to him to have this film released because when your work speaks for you like that, it’s a monument to remember him by and that’s what I would like to remember him as.” Reflecting on his role as Shekhar, Saif explained how the character challenged his image as a romantic hero.

He shared, “At the time I did Parineeta it felt very different from the kind of roles I was offered. Playing Shekhar was a challenge since he wasn’t the usual romantic hero that I was used to playing but he was flawed, sometimes difficult and vulnerable and his journey was one of self-discovery. That gave me a chance to step into a more nuanced space as an actor and I found that deeply rewarding, it was a more classic role, based on Sarat Chandra’s novel.

It is that one performance where I channelled the class of a tiger and played it like that… I love my work in that film.” He also credited Vidya Balan for elevating the film with her grace and artistry. He added, “Working with Vidya was amazing, she was extraordinary for her first movie, she brought so much grace and poetry and freshness to the role. This film is testament to her talent; she was simply phenomenal in it. The whole cast was amazing.

The set design and atmosphere transported us into an old Kolkata that doesn’t exist anymore but a place that my mother would remember, and one of the most beautiful, artistic places in the world.

A Kolkata that in part maybe doesn’t exist anymore, that’s what makes the film more nostalgic.” For Saif, the soul of Parineeta also lay in its music, which left a lasting impression on him. “The music was phenomenal, I got to see Sonu Nigam singing and I became aware of what a wonderful singer he is, in this movie.

I had heard him before, but this is the first time I saw the minute variations he was bringing with his voice and heard him being directed and responding. Shantanu Moitra of course created fantastic music; I’ve got a record of the music which is the best way of hearing it and it takes me back.

Parineeta means so much to me, being in a kurta and dhoti, and playing the guitar on the Hooghly River is one of the most lyrical images in my mind.

It’s one of the great things about being an actor, where you get to create these things that can last for a very long time,” he said. He also expressed gratitude to producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. “Thank you to Mr Vidhu Vinod Chopra for offering me this part, he has been an amazing producer because of the various contributions he had to me personally as well as professionally. When I’ve done good work, he has been a big support and encouragement, also at this particular time he was a personal support too in many ways and an important part of my career.” PVR INOX is re-releasing the restored version of Parineeta. The film 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 soundtracks remastered in 5.1 surround sound. The meticulous process took over four years to complete, with some of the VCF films being restored at L’Immagine Ritrovata in Bologna, Italy, a globally acclaimed lab known for restoring cinematic classics.