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Indian Express
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Vidya Balan says Vidhu Vinod Chopra cast her as Parineeta after seeing anger in her eyes, thought she was giving him gaali: Parineeta turns 20
Over two decades ago, Vidya Balan was at an Enrique Iglesias concert in Mumbai when she got a call from producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. He said he wouldn't wait till the concert was over and instructed her to walk out. When an irritated Vidya complied, she heard the words, 'You are my Parineeta,' as Hero played in the background. 'I can be your hero, baby' has been Vidya's motto ever since, as the actor has headlined films at a time when her contemporaries were happy playing the second fiddle. In fact, she's the first female actor after Dimple Kapadia (Bobby, 1975) who was launched into the movies as the titular character. 'I'm not complaining,' she says, laughing, in an exclusive interview with SCREEN on the 20-year anniversary of her debut film, late Pradeep Sarkar's 2005 period romance Parineeta. Pradeep Sarkar had worked with you on three music videos before he launched you in his directorial debut Parineeta. He was your mentor, and wrote the script with you in mind. Did you feel then your debut would be a cakewalk? I didn't know how it worked. I didn't come from the business. I didn't have any friends here who could tell me the producer also had a say. I didn't know what the role of a producer is, besides putting in the money. Studios were new at that time, so I didn't know what their contribution was. In Dada's very first meeting with Vidhu Vinod Chopra, he told him, 'I want to cast a star. it's the title role. Are you crazy? You want to cast a newcomer?' So Dada came back to the office. We were one big team and we had this shared dream. So when he told me, I was heartbroken, but I didn't let him see that. I told him, 'If you're going to make the film you wanted, you should go ahead.' Then I came out of the office and cried. It came so close, and it's not happening again! They spoke to a lot of actors. They showed great interest, but Dada wasn't convinced. And Vinod Chopra is also a director, right? He understood Dada's conviction and said, 'Okay, I'll give you a chance to audition her.' You gave quite a few auditions then. Did you get frustrated of why Vinod Chopra can't see what Pradeep Sarkar did in you? No, I didn't. As a matter of fact, I had gone through a spate of rejections in the South, where I'd signed the films and then they didn't materialize. So I thought maybe this isn't going to work out for me. But with every audition, I was giving my best. It's rubbish that I gave some 40 auditions and 17 makeup trials. That's far from true. There were three or four tests. But I was a bit frustrated because at one point, they wanted to do a modern take on Parineeta so we did a scene in that setup. Then they said they wanted to see it in a traditional setup. And Saif Ali Khan was also there because they wanted to see our chemistry. He had just had Hum Tum (2004) so it was amazing Saif did this. They even got me to do a lip-sync test. Then they changed the hairstyle. Then Binod Pradhan, the cinematographer, came to me and said, 'I've shot you in so many ad films. When the camera comes on, you always enjoy yourself. But I'm not seeing that enjoyment in you. You're not being yourself. Forget about it, film hui ki nahi hui, you just enjoy yourself. Baki dekha jayega. And actually in that test, I did that and that was the clincher. So I'll always be grateful to Binod Pradhan for saying that to me at the right time. Have you asked Vinod Chopra after that what was the clincher for him? The first shot of Parineeta has me turn into the camera and the title appears. We were trying to do that shot for the audition because they wanted an indescribable emotion there. I was so frustrated by then because it wasn't just Parineeta, but also three years of not working before that. I'd reached my wit's end. Vinod Chopra said he saw anger in my eyes in that shot. He said, 'Tu mujhe gaali de rahi thi, mujhe dikh raha tha' (laughs). That's not true, but my frustration and anger would've shown. That's the reason he gave me the part. I believe Saif was also not convinced of a newcomer being cast opposite him initially. Did you feel that while working with him? I was just happy Saif and Sanju (Sanjay Dutt) agreed to do the film with me finally, whatever their reasons. But I have to say Saif and I didn't have any conversations on that film. We hardly spoke with each other. Also, Saif was going through some personal stuff then (divorce with Amrita Singh) so he was preoccupied between takes. It's not like we struck a friendship. I think maybe that also helped the chemistry in the film. I've said a million times, and I'll say it a million times again, when I say superstar, for me, it means Sanjay Dutt. He's just larger than life. He's just so wonderful, I absolutely love him. Is there anything common between you and your character Lalita? The fact that she's very patient (laughs). I don't know if I'm as patient 20 years since, but at that time, I was definitely a very patient person considering all that I was going through. I've got a lot of resilience in me. And when I love, I love deeply. How much do you miss Pradeep Sarkar today? He was my mentor in every way. I never thought he'd not be around for the 20th anniversary! It's crazy when you think of it. He went very young. I feel angry and frustrated sometimes because he would never took care of his health. His wife kept doing her best to keep him healthy, but there's only so much one can do, right? But he was so obsessed with his work. Parineeta also established your image as a deeply rooted Indian actor. Had they gone ahead with the modern take, do you think your career would have shaped differently? I don't know if it'd have been different, but I like the path my career took and the kind of work I got. I played an author-backed role in my first film, that's a big deal! For someone who doesn't belong to this business, I got the opportunity to do this! So they saw what I could do with that. I may not have gotten the opportunities I did had I started any other way. Also, at heart, I'm most comfortable being an Indian. I don't know how to describe that adequately, but I romanticize everything that's Indian. So I'm very glad they went that route. I love the way the women dressed in that era, in the 1960s. We didn't see being feminine and sensual as being weak in cinema at that time. I was getting to explore that. Since it was a love story, and I was being wooed by two men, they had to really make me look my best. Every strain in Parineeta is like a painting. Since you got such a grand debut, did you struggle with sustaining your momentum post Parineeta? Not at all! I had Lage Raho Munna Bhai, which was a massive success. I did seven films in the next two years. I worked with some of the biggest filmmakers — Mani Ratnam (Guru, 2007), Nikkhil Advani (Salaam-E-Ishq, 2007), Rajkumar Santoshi (Halla Bol, 2008). I was working with some big actors and banners. I was over the moon! I also got substantial parts. Some of those films worked, some didn't, but I was still receiving a lot of love. Then in 2007-08, I realized I needed to now take the next leap in my career. I don't think it was a conscious decision, but I responded to the opportunity that came my way. When Ishqiya (2010) happened, I jumped into it head long. I really enjoyed it. And that pretty much set the tone for the rest of my career. In these 20 years, what have you learnt about how the film industry works? And what have you learnt about yourself? I remember Siddharth (Roy Kapur, producer, husband) told me a few years ago, and it struck me that it's so true. The film industry is the most accepting of places. It doesn't matter what your religious belief or sexuality is, where you live, what you eat, what the colour of your skin is, or the size of your waist is. Nothing matters. It's a place of equal opportunity. I hope we never lose that and become a political place. We're above that. I know people talk about nepotism, but that's not been my reality. If you let something affect you, it will. I have come to love and accept myself the way more and more with each passing day and year. I don't have to try to be anyone else, but myself. There were a few years where I was at my biggest, and I was still playing the lead in films. So this really is a place that doesn't discriminate. What's the ambition for the next 20 years? I just want to do out-and-out entertainers right now. That's my current state of mind. I don't know main kal kya bolungi. But for the past couple of years, I've been feeling I want to have fun while telling stories. Every two years, that state of mind changes and that dictates the kind of genres I do. Is this because of the success of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3? I think Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 happened because I was feeling this way. Also Read — Anil Kapoor on 10 years of Dil Dhadakne Do: 'My son Harshvardhan Kapoor convinced me to play Ranveer Singh, Priyanka Chopra's father' Finally, do you think today, a female actor can be launched as the titular character by a big production house with a theatrical release? Oh, absolutely. That's hugely possible. It's just that we're going through a tough time at this point because a lot of films haven't been working. But I do think it's a phase. And we should use this phase to rediscover ourselves and the kind of stories we're telling and how we're telling them. But there will come a time when we'll make all kinds of movies. The theatre-going experience is not going anywhere.
Express Tribune
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Sarah Khan won't do films anytime soon
In a video circulating online, Sarah Khan opened up about what's next in store for her career. Sarah, who currently stars in Sher, admitted that she'd prefer taking a break for now. "Once I have finished working on one project, I like to take a break so that I can appear on TV after a gap. So for now, I've been reading scripts and will return soon," she explained. The Hum Tum actor also revealed that she has no plans of heading to the silver screen. "As far as the big screen is concerned, I don't believe you'll see me up there anytime soon because I'm not all that interested in doing films," she said. Before starring opposite Danish Taimoor in Sher, Sarah launched her clothing line Alyana, named after her daughter, in February. Her little girl has also been instrumental in spilling the beans on what lies ahead in the actor's future with her singer-husband Falak Shabir. In a vlog uploaded by Falak in May, the father-daughter duo is seen enjoying some playful moments together when Falak casually asks Alyana, "Where is the baby?" Without skipping a beat, little Alyana gleefully points toward her mother, Sarah, and declares, "In mummy's belly!" The camera pans to Sarah, who can be seen smiling warmly throughout the exchange, adding even more weight to the speculation: baby number two is on the way! While the couple didn't follow it up with an official statement, fans were convinced that the cat, or rather, the baby, is out of the bag, thanks to Alyana's sweet reveal. Alyana's innocent joy and excitement lit up the screen, with her repeating, "Second baby is in mummy's belly." Many viewers melted at Alyana's adorableness, while others questioned whether such personal news should be shared via a child. One user wrote, "Kids are always like this. Cute!" while another commented, "Privacy matters. This is not something to discuss with a toddler." A few netizens also weighed in on boundaries and parenting, arguing that such moments should remain within the family.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone & Diana Penty's 'Cocktail' to re-release in theatres on this date
Saif Ali Khan , Diana Penty , and Deepika Padukone 's beloved romantic comedy, "Cocktail" will be reaching the cinema halls once again this month. Made under the direction of Homi Adajania, the movie is gearing up for a re-release on May 30. The announcement poster that read, "Veronica, Gautam, Meera-their friendship, their love, their story-back on the big screen!" was shared on social media along with the caption, "The iconic trio is back! Experience the unforgettable journey of Cocktail once again with our Curated Shows. Cocktail re-releasing at PVR INOX on May 30!" Apart from Saif, Deepika, and Diana, "Cocktail" also saw Dimple Kapadia , Boman Irani , Randeep Hooda, Tina Desai, Manoj Pahwa, and Mia Uyeda in prominent roles. Cocktail Official Trailer | Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone & Diana Penty Initially released in the cinema halls on July 13, 2012, "Cocktail" shares the tale of three friends Gautam Kapoor (Saif), Meera (Diana), and Veronica (Deepika). Their friendship is put to the test when Gautam falls in love with Meera. The project which marked Diana's Bollywood debut was written by Imtiaz Ali and Sajid Ali. Backed by Saif and Dinesh Vijan under their respective banners Illuminati Films and Maddock Films along with Eros International, "Cocktail" enjoys soundtracks jointly scored by Pritam, Yo Yo Honey Singh, and Salim--Sulaiman. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Shubh Aarambh with Honda Shine 125! Honda Learn More Undo With camera work by Anil Mehta, and editing by A. Sreekar Prasad, the movie turned out to be one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2012. Before this, another one of Saif's much-appreciated dramas, "Hum Tum" got a re-run at the cinema halls. Starring Rani Mukerji as the female lead, the romantic entertainer was once again released in the cinema halls on May 16. Helmed by Kunal Kohli, "Hum Tum" is inspired by the Hollywood classic, "When Harry Met Sally..." starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. Furthermore, Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Shilpa Shetty's "Dhadkan" was re-released in the cinema halls on May 23. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
News18
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Cocktail: Deepika Padukone, Saif Ali Khan, Diana Penty's Film To Re-Release On THIS Date
Last Updated: Homi Adajania's Cocktail, starring Deepika Padukone, Saif Ali Khan and Diana Penty originally released in theatres on July 13, 2012. Nearly ten days after the re-release of Hum Tum, another popular Saif Ali Khan rom-com is making its way back to theaters! This time, it's Homi Adajania's 2012 film 'Cocktail', starring Saif, Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty in the lead roles. The film is set for a theatrical re-release starting May 30, 2025. On Monday, PVR Cinemas announced the re-release of Cocktail on their Instagram account. They shared a poster of Cocktail with Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty. The text over the poster reads, 'Veronica, Gautam, Meera—their friendship, their love, their story- back on the big screen!" The rom-com will re-release this Friday. PVR announced the same with a caption that read, 'The iconic trio is back! Experience the unforgettable journey of Cocktail once again with our Curated Shows. Cocktail re-releasing at PVR INOX on May 30!" Fans React As Cocktail Re-Release Is Announced Needless to say, fans were beyond thrilled! While one fan commented, 'Manifestation is real finally. Can't wait," another one wrote, 'OMG SO HAPPY." '10/10 movie," wrote a third netizen. Originally released in 2012, Cocktail was directed by Homi Adajania and starred Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty in lead roles. The film also included performances by Boman Irani, Dimple Kapadia, and Randeep Hooda. The film is returning to theatres nearly 13 years after its release. Back in 2012, the film received widespread acclaim for its direction, costumes, cinematography, and standout performances by the cast. Its soundtrack, composed by Pritam, also earned massive praise. Songs like 'Tumhi Ho Bandhu', 'Daaru Desi', and 'Second-Hand Jawaani' became instant chartbusters and continue to be remembered fondly even today. On the professional front, Saif Ali Khan was last seen in the Netflix film 'Jewel Thief', co-starring Nikita Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Kunal Kapoor. The film was directed by Kookie Gulati and Robby Grewal, and produced by Siddharth Anand. Diana Penty last appeared in the Vicky Kaushal-led Chhaava, while Deepika Padukone will soon start working on Shah Rukh Khan's King, which will also feature Suhana Khan, Abhay Verma, and more. First Published:
Pink Villa
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
After Hum Tum, Saif Ali Khan's THIS beloved rom-com returns to cinemas, get ready for another nostalgic ride
Nearly ten days after the re-release of Hum Tum, Saif Ali Khan's another beloved rom-com is set to return to the silver screens! Yes, you read it right, and this time it is Homi Adajania's Cocktail co-starring Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty. It has recently been announced that the film is set to have its re-run in the theaters from May 30. On May 26, PVR Cinemas took to their Instagram handle and shared the poster of Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty starrer Cocktail. The announcement poster reads, "Veronica, Gautam, Meera— Their friendship, their love, their story— Back on the big screen!" It has been revealed that the rom-com is set to release this Friday, and the post was captioned, "The iconic trio is back! Experience the unforgettable journey of Cocktail once again with our Curated Shows. Cocktail re-releasing at PVR INOX on May 30!" Take a look Soon after the post was shared, several internet users flooded the comments section expressing their excitement for the re-run. A user exclaimed, "Manifestation is real finally. Can't wait," another requested, "Please release Hasee Toh Phasee too!" a third user called it, "10/10 movie" and another admitted, "OMG SO HAPPY." It was earlier this month that the movie chain announced the re-release of Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji's Hum Tum from May 16. In addition to this, Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Shilpa Shetty's Dhadkan was also released on May 23. Released in 2012, Cocktail was directed by Homi Adajania, and it featured Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Diana Penty in the key roles. It also featured Boman Irani, Dimple Kapadia, and Randeep Hooda among others in important roles. On the professional front, Saif Ali Khan was last seen in Netflix's Jewel Thief alongside Nikita Kapoor, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Kunal Kapoor in the key roles. Directed by Kookie Gulati and Robby Grewal, the film was backed by Siddharth Anand. Diana Penty's last appearance was in Vicky Kaushal -led Chhaava, whereas Deepika Padukone is currently focusing on her daughter, Dua, and will soon start working on Shah Rukh Khan's King. The film will also feature Suhana Khan, Jaideep Ahlawat, Abhay Verma, and more.
