Vidya Balan and Rekha’s adorable kiss steals the show at Parineeta’s 20-year celebration

Vidya Balan and Rekha at Parineeta 20 years celebration

Parineeta is making a comeback to theatres twenty years after first enthralling audiences with its moving story of friendship, love, and social divisions. The celebration of its anniversary was a lavish event.

Bollywood's best were present at the re-release event, including the classic Rekha and lead actress Vidya Balan, whose presence perfectly captured the film's lasting influence.

It was Rekha and Vidya who stole the show amid the nostalgia. Even after 20 years, the two actresses' tender kiss and warm embrace perfectly captured the love for the movie. Fans celebrated the relationship between the icons as the moment was widely shared online.

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The premiere event was nothing short of spectacular, and the film will be re-released in theatres on August 29. In addition to Rekha and Vidya, Dia Mirza, singer Shreya Ghoshal, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra, and director Rajkumar Hirani were on the guest list. The attendance demonstrated the film's enduring influence, as it continues to be a landmark in Hindi cinema.

Photos and videos from the evening have since gone viral. In one particularly moving clip, Vidya Balan is seen performing the traditional Bengali Dhunuchi Naach, while Rekha affectionately kisses the film’s poster — a fitting tribute to Parineeta’s cultural roots and legacy.

Adapted from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1914 Bengali novella, Parineeta was released in 2005. Vidhu Vinod Chopra wrote the screenplay. Alongside Sanjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan, Raima Sen, Sabyasachi Chakraborty, and Dia Mirza, Vidya Balan played her breakthrough role in the movie. Even now, the timeless songs Piyu Bole and Raat Hamari Toh from Shantanu Moitra's soulful soundtrack continue to be a highlight.

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The film was a landmark in modern Hindi cinema because of its romantic charm, sensitive depiction of Kolkata in the 1960s, and examination of patriarchy, class divides, and a woman's subdued defiance in love.

Now, 20 years later, Parineeta is set to enchant audiences all over again — proving that some stories, and some films, are truly timeless.