Vidya Balan gave 'gaalis' because she was exhausted from Parineeta auditions, reveals Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Vidya Balan and Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra has shared evocative recollections of the casting process that led to Vidya Balan playing Lalita in Parineeta as the film prepares for its 20th anniversary re-release. Vidhu Chopra described the difficult audition process, which tried Balan's endurance and patience before securing her as the movie's leading lady, during a special screening.

Vidhu Chopra revealed that the role of Lalita was highly sought after, with several leading actresses vying for it. “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,’” Chopra recalled.

What followed was a lengthy audition process, with Balan undergoing multiple rounds of testing. “The actor had gone through a lot of tests. Then I told Sarkar, ‘Let’s do one final test.’ She was so exhausted by the process that she actually muttered gaalis (expletives) before her final audition,” Chopra said, laughing at the memory.

Despite her fatigue, Balan delivered a performance that astonished the director. “By then, she had done 20–25 tests. But then she gave such a brilliant final test, it was unbelievable. I told Sarkar, call her immediately,” Chopra added.

Vidya herself recalled the emotional moment when she got the life-changing news. “So Dada (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, Chopra wants to speak to you.’ So I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll call you after the concert.’ So then Chopra said, ‘Teri zindagi badalne waali hai, bahar nikal (Your life is about to change, come outside).’”

She continued, “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.”

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

Directed by Pradeep Sarkar and based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s classic Bengali novel, Parineeta (2005) featured Vidya alongside Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt. Set in 1960s Kolkata, the film explored themes of love, class, and societal expectation, with Shantanu Moitra’s music becoming an instant classic.

Two decades on, Parineeta is set to return to theatres on 29 August, offering audiences a chance to relive the film that marked Vidya Balan’s unforgettable entry into Bollywood.