Parineeta

The FILM:I have recently watched the movie Parineeta. I was highly impressed by the way the movie was setup. The director has been very meticulous in creating the feel of the old era. There was not a single point in the film where one could say that the backdrop of the film was not contiguous. The film was a very great experience.

Characters: Vidya Balan was exceptionally good. In fact the ease with which she played the character, makes one wonder if she is a débutante. I must say that she has done justice to the character. Well done Vidhu Vinod Chopra, you have again found a VERY talented young lady. Saif showed that he has matured as an actor and is very versatile in the kind of roles that he has been offered. Saif's acting in this film was awesome. I think Saif can challenge any film critic who questions his abilities to act. He has emerged into a fabulous actor. And with this film he has put himself in line for an award. That goes for Vidya too.

RATING: I did not give a 10/10 just because of the climax of the film. It did not have to be so melodramatic.

For a nation starved of creatively fulfilling cinema, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Parineeta is like a dream come true. If you overlook the overindulgence in melodrama in the last few reels of the film, Parineeta may well classify as a classic entertainer with brilliant performances, outstanding music and superb production values. Based on Saratchandra Chatterjee's novel, Parineeta is the story of two childhood friends - Lolita (newcomer Vidya Balan) and Shekhar (Saif Ali Khan), both hailing from different strata of society. They share an unspoken bond of love. Enter Girish (Sanjay Dutt) from London. Shekhar is driven to jealousy by the growing affections between Girish and Lolita. A series of circumstances manipulated by Shekhar's father Naveen Rai force the two lovers apart amidst a series of misunderstandings and betrayals. Parineeta is the story of a woman's endless wait for her love and director Pradeep Sarkar weaves the story like magic, especially in the first half. The relationship between Lolita and Shekhar is beautifully established right from the beginning. Sarkar excels in the detailing - the vintage look of the film stands out with authentic costumes, props and even the roads of Kolkata. Which makes the deliberate plugs of brands like Saridon and Cadbury stand out sorely. Some of the sequences haunt you much after the film is over: Shekhar's complex state of mind during his marriage with Gayatri (Dia Mirza) and his confrontation scenes with Lolita. Girish's first encounter with Lolita and Saif's anguish as he helplessly watches his love slip by are excellent. The scene in the recording studio is worth a mention. Full marks to Vinod Chopra and Sarkar for a deft screenplay. Sarkar's picturisations of Piyu Bole and Soona Mann Ka Aangan are mesmerising. The background score is heavily inspired by 1942: A Love Story. Perhaps the only problem with the film lies in its script and maybe contemporarising it would have helped. In the second half, the script stumbles. And then comes the worst part - the climax. The wall breaking scene between shouts from family and friends screaming, "Todh, Shekhar todh!" is so amateur that it dilutes the whole film's impact. All the performances are top class - Vidya Balan makes a sensational debut. Whether it's her coy demeanour with Saif or her confusion with Sanjay, Vidya is an absolute delight. Sanjay Dutt is in super form. Sabyasachi Chakraborty as Saif's father is brilliant. Among the others, Raima Sen and Ninad Kamat (as Shekhar's friend) add enormously to the film despite their miniscule parts. But Parineeta really belongs to Saif Ali Khan. It's his best performance to date. Khan showcases a plethora of emotions, all in right doses - jealousy, compassion, callousness, insecurity, resentment and joy. It's hard to imagine any other actor playing the role. With this film, Saif rightfully acquires his position in the top rung of the industry. If Parineeta falls short of being a masterpiece, it's only due to the few howlers in the latter half. But even the chinks in the armour can't rob the film of its sheen. For Hindi cinema, it's a big step forward.

While this film is far from perfect, it's still a great experience for those who hope for a revival in Indian cinema. The storyline is relatively simple - I haven't read the book it's based on, but can only assume that it was relatively dumbed down for the film. But what makes it special is the entire "package" - no over-the-top acting here, great period sets, smooth narration and actors who give a good dimension to the characters they portray.

I think Pradeep Sarkar and Vinod Chopra have to be given due credit for producing this little gem. It's nice to see that their artistic integrity has been (relatively) not compromised here. That's not to say that the film would not appeal to the masses, it has all the elements of a love story in the "Bollywood" genre - song, dance, family melodrama, happy ending etc. - but all these are delicately interwoven into the narrative without losing focus on the story or rather the strong characters. The only complain I had was from the "product placements" that seemed forced and totally out of place in the film :)

I am amazed that a film this good was overlooked, by the selection committee, for an entry to the Oscars this year. I am not saying this is a "Pather Panchali" but amongst what was available, it could be argued that this film stood a better chance to find appeal amongst an international audience.

My vote – 7 out of 10... definitely worth your time!

PS: Like another reviewer pointed out here, watch this film on the big screen or its original DVD release that does complete justice to the beautiful cinematography and art direction!

I have always been a great fan of sharat chanda's literature and seeing it getting transformed to such magnificent movie like vinod chopra's "Parineeta" gives me a sense of pride for our writers and film makers.I saw the movie last evening with my friends and there was none who did not enjoy it. The cinematography is amazing.the sets look far more natural than they were in "Devdas" which was based on the book by the same author. The spirit of the story has been very wisely conserved and the movie displays the efficiency of the director in handling the topic in the very fashion the author would have liked it to be handled. Where "devdas" was a disappointment to me, "Parineeta" has proved the opposite. The movie is far away from the loudness that could have surrounded it. The lights in the sets are dim and add to the romantic mood. thump's up to the makers.

I was really impressed with the movie. Although the story is (again) built around a relationship triangle but the twist to the story is quite different from the usual plot line that you see in Hindi movies. Vidya Balan definitely stole the show with her natural and subtle acting (most of the Indian actors/actresses are known for their exaggerated expressions, which are more suitable for theater than for movies), kudos to her. Sanjay Dutt was good as usual and Saif is improving with time. Besides the main lead everybody pitched in with pretty good acting, giving the movie an overall balance. In particular Raima Sen and her friend (don't know her name) were very good. One of the surprises were seeing Rekha (yeah!) as a club singer in one of the songs :), she's still able to pull it off. We need more movies like this, and overall, I would recommend others to watch this movie.