'Parineeta' turns 20: Was Vidya Balan not the first choice for Lalita?

20 years ago, we were graced by Vidya Balan’s exquisite talent in her super-hit debut film, ‘Parineeta’. As ‘Parineeta’ prepares to return to the big screen 20 years after its original release, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Vidya Balan as the iconic Lalita.

However, did you know that Vidya was not the first choice for the iconic role?

Vidya Balan was not the first choice for ‘Parineeta’

Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra originally envisioned Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the character. Would this have resulted in a completely different film and perhaps a very different Lalita?

Chopra told Hindustan Times that he was not convinced about casting Vidya. In the interview, he revealed that his first choice for the role was Aishwarya Rai: “When we thought of Parineeta, I immediately thought of a face like Aishwarya Rai. The character of the girl is like two men fall in love with her...so the heroine has to be bigger. But Pradeep Sarkar(director) told me about her (Vidya) I was like let me see what she can do,” adding, “But then we tested and tried her (Vidya) and she cleared it.”

The 2005 period drama, based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel of the same name, became a massive success. Be it the chemistry shared between Lalita (Vidya Balan) and Shekhar (Saif Ali Khan) or Vidya’s breakout performance, the film resonated with the masses.

The journey to be Lalita was not easy

Vidya’s journey wasn’t an easy one. In an interview with Simi Garewal, Vidya revealed the rigorous process she went through to land the role. It wasn’t just a one-time audition. The actress cleared multiple rounds of tests over a period of six months before she bagged the role!

Even Rekha was not the first choice for ‘Paheli Zindagani’

Remember the iconic musical cameo by Rekha? Well, in the press conference where Vidhu Vinod Chopra mentioned Aishwarya being the first choice, director Pradeep Sarkar revealed that he initially wanted cast ‘the who’s who of Bollywood’, but later picked the iconic Rekha.

"For this cameo we went to who ’s-who of Bollywood, but then we realised it has to be someone who is a classic diva and who better than her (Rekha). I had gone to meet her (Rekha) after Chopra had spoken to her about the appearance. It was fantastic meeting her...she does her own styling, hair, make-up, photography. Even for the song she had valuable inputs to provide. It was amazing and we had a wonderful time working with her," director Pradeep said.

ALSO READ: How 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi' changed the lives of its cast

More about the film ‘Parineeta’

The film starred Vidya, Saif Ali Khan and Sanjay Dutt in pivotal roles, and is set in the pre-independence era. 'Parineeta' was adapted from 1914 Bengali novella of the same name by Bengali author Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. While the character of Shekhar was essayed by Saif Ali Khan, the role of Girish was played by Sanjay Dutt.

This special re-release celebrates two decades of ‘Parineeta.’ It also commemorates 20 years of Vidya Balan’s journey in Indian cinema. Interestingly, the release also marks 50 years of Vinod Chopra Films.

Would you like to see Aishwarya Rai instead?

While Aishwarya Rai enchanted us as Paro from ‘Devdas’ (a similar Bengali trope), Vidya’s portrayal of Lalita remains unmatched. Vidya brought a certain vulnerability and strength to Lalita that resonated with audiences on a deep level.

So, as you settle into your seats to watch the movie, we ask: Do you think Aishwarya would have done justice to the role of Lalita?