User Reviews

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!

Plot Outline: Orphaned at childhood Lolita (Vidya Balan) stays with her uncle. She and neighbor Shekhar (Saif) develop innocent bonding with each other which unknown to them has matured into love. It takes the arrival of Girish (Sanjay Dutt) before the lead pair discovers their love for each other through circumstantial odds and family pressures.

Comment: Parineeta is an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's work, whose works include the immortal Devdas that has been remade over and over again in many languages. Although, it is quite usual to compare Vinod Chopra's Parineeta with Bhansali's Devdas, I would say that Parineeta ranks way above latter in terms of being closer to real life and portraying seemingly real characters as against the recent Devdas was more of a visual treat with stars and extravaganza.

Although Vinod Chopra, in his screenplay has deviated from the novel's portrayal of the 1920's to the film's 1960's, it is seamless and is believably real. The performances are extremely neat with Saif in a mature role and Vidya Balan exceptional for a débutante, both in looks and ease with the camera. Talent spotter Vinod Chopra has her lined up in Munnabhai-2 and Yagna. Sanjay Dutt seemed older than what the role required. Among the songs that are well timed, 'Piyu Bole' has freshness similar to 1942: A Love Story. Although Pradeep Sarkar's direction has made the movie well paced, the closing scenes have been extra-dramatized. Must watch for all audiences.

Rating: 4/5

I will never forget the first 30 minutes of this film.

Superbly paced, the film has fine, balanced performances from all its actors. Its vision is very difficult to put in words - it is an escapism rooted in realism, simple ideas seen earlier in Hindi cinema are fully realized here, comparable to some of the best personal European/ International films. Its song style is sophisticated, very effortlessly translated into simple, clear imagery. The last ten minutes are mishandled, taking away from what could have been an almost-flawless experience in mainstream Indian cinema - I choose my words very carefully, this is an Indian film in Hindi. Very precious.

I have not enjoyed such a wonderful movie in years.

I don't watch very many Hindi movies but decided to watch this one when I watched an interview of Vidhu Vinod Chopra on MTV. The few clips that I saw during the interview convinced me that the movie was one of the best Hindi movies ever made.

Everything about the movie is enchanting- the music, the wonderful shots of Calcutta at dusk, at sunrise, in the winter fog, in autumn, the churches, the old houses with their colonial architecture, the warm portrayal of those exquisite times, the delicate filigree of relationships, the simplicity of the childhood bond that describes the relationship between Lolita and Shekhar, the realism of the story. Everything was absolutely marvelous.

I have never doubted Saif Khan's great talent and my faith in him was vindicated in the movie. He plays his role with great finesse.The heroine may be debuting in this movie but she will definitely go places. She is talented, she is graceful, she is beautiful without having to thrust her body at the camera to capture the audience's attention. I sat enthralled through the love scenes that reminded me of a watercolor painted with a very fine brush.

The music was absolutely wonderful and captured the sound of the 60s. Every song was a treat--not just the music but the picturisation especially "piyuh bole".

All through the movie I sat and marveled at the amount of work that had gone into the making of such a film. The research, the reproduction, the faithful details(even the oven that was used to bake a cake!)

There are only two aspects of the film that jarred. One was the casting of Sanjay Dutt as Girish. I like Sanjay and he was super in Munna Bhai but he looked too old in his role here. The other thing that somehow spoilt things was the Sanjay Leila Bhansali moment that crept into the movie towards the end.

Even so, if the movie were to be compared with(I confess that it is an unfair comparison) Devdas, Pareenita would win hands down. For all the song and dance hoopla of Devdas, the movie failed to tug at one's heart strings.

For me the most wonderful thing was the fact that both my children, young teenagers, enjoyed the movie and loved it.

Thank you, Pradeep Sarkar and Vidhu Vinod Chopra!

Expected very little from it - so was pleasantly surprised. Vidya Balan makes an impressive debut (she looks like a composite of Madhuri and Taboo) in spite of her mannered performance. Saif is good, as usual, and a much-improved Sanjay Dutt (he doesn't really have much to do so he can't spoil it) round out the main cast. The music is very hummable, without being particularly memorable. I was a bit puzzled about the decision to set the movie in the early 60s as opposed to the 20s (in which the novel was set)or the present day, but the sets and costumes do look great so no complaints. There is a welcome trend in Hindi movies to try and make period films look more authentic, and Parineeta continues it. A painless way to spend a couple of hours - although I've seen some websites that have the length at 170 min so they may have edited it for US release.

"Parineeta" is based on a classic Indian novel, and the movie is probably the third or fourth remake of the novel. The plot/story of the movie is of the nature that could SO EASILY have been a big blunder at the box office. I had no intentions to go see the movie since I felt it would be a serious waste of my time and money.

As time went by, the movie became more and more popular amongst masses. I grew compelled to see what really made it so. But props to the Parineeta team to choose a wonderful star cast that drove me to see the film. Saif Khan's recent performances and of course Sanjay Dutt motivated me to go see the film.

Still not expecting much, I have no words to explain it, but I was truly shocked by the direction, editing of the movie backed by some of the best acting and screenplay I have seen in the Indian Film Industry. The movie, 130 minutes long, is also unlike other Indian movies which run easily 150+ minutes. The movie is crisp, and edited to perfection. Saif Khan and Sanjay Dutt were great like always, but Vidya Balan surprised me in her debut film.

This movie has set a new standard for Indian films. I like the direction in which Indian films are headed. 2004-05 has been a break through year for actors, directors for the Indian Film Industry, and movies like Parineeta is the fruit for the efforts.

Parineeta could've been so much better. The movie comes off a little flat because it never lets you get emotionally involved in the characters' lives/actions. Everything is moving a bit too fast. Once the major conflict was set, it seemed like VVC couldn't wait to resolve all the tension and problems built among the characters. Thus you never really feel that attached to the people on screen. What makes it even worse is the climax, which seems right out of a David Dhawan flick. I got the feeling VVC couldn't wait to end the movie.

My biggest gripe with Parineeta is the lack of focus on Saif-Balan's relationship. There's hardly enough on-screen interaction between these two for us to understand the 'depth' of their relationship. That love-making scene I thought came out of nowhere. Upto that point we had only seen Balan&Saif as good friends and then BOOM! All of a sudden they're getting naked and rolling their tongues all over each other. It's a good thing Balan-Saif also happen to be great actors aside from sharing awesome chemistry because that entire sequence could've played out very awkwardly.

Anyway, great performances from the leading pair....especially Vidya Balan. I don't know anyone in Bollywood who emotes as naturally as she does(hard to believe it's her first film!). Saif has given better performances before(DCH and EHT), but this is right up there with his work in KHNH and Hum Tum. He's at his best when he's expressing purely through his eyes and body language.

Sanjay Dutt and the rest of the supporting cast do a fine job.

The cinematography, sets and art direction is just amazing. The 60's era is beautifully recreated. I have to say I've seen VERY few films as visually engaging as Parineeta.

Of course, great visuals don't make a great movie. Parineeta in the end still lacks emotional depth.

Overall, worth a dekho for the performances and the charming way in which the movie has been decorated and shot.

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.

The first thing that hits you about Parineeta is the brilliance of its images. Each frame leaps at you from the screen, perfect in composition and colour. And central to the beauty of the film is the beauty of its leading actress, Vidya Balan, a débutant in national cinema (although she has a bengali film "Bhaalo Theko" to her credit). With her natural beauty and expressive eyes, she steals each scene she is in, mesmerizing the viewer with subtle nuances, conveying a range of emotions perfectly with her eyes, much better than it could ever be put in words. She carries the film ably on her shoulders, outshining her costars, which is no mean feat, given that they are Saif Ali Khan and Sunjay Dutt. Saif is getting better with each film, and even here he turns in a creditable performance, although his emoting could be more nuanced and textured in certain scenes. Sunjay essays a supporting role, although his character doesn't have meat enough, being relegated to the stereotypical outsider role in the main romance. Perhaps the characterization is the weakest for Sabyasachi, playing Saif's villainous father. His character is relegated to being completely one-dimensional, black with no shades of gray. The director fails to utilize his acting abilities to the full, and yet Sabyasachi does a a very commendable job of portraying the villain. The film has the obvious advantage of being based on a time-tested story, and yet the screenplay falters in many places, with emotions going overboard (most notably in the ending scene) and dialogs being typical, sometimes even tending towards corny. The music is pretty good but one feels that the editing could have been tighter. All in all, despite its many defects, an entertaining film somewhat different from the usual Hindi movie fare and one that leaves a distinctly sweet aftertaste. Also, worth watching for Vidya Balan alone.

Having watched Parineeta twice in a gap of 4 days since it's release, I have to say, this movie after a long time has done India Cinema proud. The film managed to keep my attention the same as watching it for the first time that says a lot about the film.

The cinematography is extremely good, tight and i must say not a frame of film wasted. Each scene is art directed very well and the lighting is perfect.

One can clearly see that the research done on this film is very good. The wardrobes of all actors have been well designed including the kind of jewelry the women wore. Great detailing. Just one flaw I have to mention is the choice of sunglasses Saif wears. A little too modern.

The male ego and attitude will not come as a surprise to most Indian men but the character and pride of an Indian woman is showcased very well and aptly. I only wish more writers and directors adapt this image of the Indian women instead of taking her into extremes all the time.

The music, absolutely outstanding. Shantanu Moitra has done an excellent job with the score and you will definitely want the soundtrack in your collection.

It's not easy to make a period film. Kudos to the cast, crew, production and anyone involved in the making of this film. They should all be extremely pleased.

A must watch.

It is kind of rarity in Bollywood to adopt classic novels and present it with the same height but Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Parineeta has almost accomplished it. Parineeta echoes old times where character-driven plots delighted audiences that attempt to find meaning and mysteries of love and passion. Love stories just fail to make their impact nowadays but this is not one of them. Romance here is just not usual masala-mix repetition instead presented with a height.

Parineeta is a passion tale of Lolita (introducing Vidya Balan) and Shekhar(Saif Ali Khan). In opening scenes we see Shekhar getting married to Gayatri(Diya Mirza). We see Lolita married. Shekhar is not at all happy getting married and movie goes flashback. Lolita is an orphan who lives with her mama-mami and sister Koel(Raima Sen). Shekhar is only son of a big businessman Nabin Rai is her neighbor. Shekhar is fond of music. We watch them both grew up singing, playing, composing music together. Shekhar just can't wait to show her whenever he starts composing new note not completely though and later both complete it. This is what we just adore.

One of the things I like most there is no 'dosti' kind of drama between these two. There is closeness and distance between these two well understated. Both of them aware of their feelings on some level but haven't told even themselves yet. Their love starts to surface when they see other with someone else. This is what makes it more and more natural. Their characters are not just dreamy fools. Lolita is matured. Shekhar is grown up but flawed.

Girish(Sanjay Dutt) is London returned but simple businessman who has love-in-first sight with Lolita. Gayatri is daughter of a leading industrialist, she has a very hard crush on Shekhar from their first meeting. She says "ek baar meri isase shadi ho jaaye, I will kill him". Nabin Rai is looking forward to Shekhar-Gayatri business marriage who is afraid about Shekhar-Lolita relation. Shekhar is simmering with fury that Lolita is paying any kind of attention to Girish. Nabin Rai is only villain that adds some twists to the story. Only letdown is its climax ( Real hoot!!).

Some of the scenes are worth to mention, like symmetry of scenes when Shekhar meets Diya and Lolita is with Girish, Lolita and Shekhar completing 'Piyu bole' melody, Shekhar missing Lolita uttering lines "nahi, Tagor ki hai idiot…..",Shekhar and Lolita commenting each other through Shekhar's friend.

On Technical side, sets are gorgeous. Freshness oozes through the screen that makes Parineeta delight to watch. Script is adapted from a classic novel but only thing I missed here is there are not too many those classy dialogues that might make it a great romantic drama. Those are good but not great.

In acting department, Saif's portrayal of Shekhar as a jealous lover is too good. He has proved his caliber in many of his last movies and this one is added in that list. But Vidya Balan is real highlight of Parineeta. She has given such a performance, I can't think anyone else could do the same justice to the character of Lolita. One of peak moments of Parineeta when she bursts out in tears, sobbing, confronting her love to Shekhar is awesome. Diya looks gorgeous and done her job with flair. I just loved the way she delivers her lines without taking her eyes off Shekhar for a second convincing her crush on Shekhar. Sanjay Dutt is one of the veteran actors so no doubt about him.

In one line, Parineeta is a must watch.

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.

At my viewing of this movie in the Raja cinema in Vancouver at the end of the film the audience laughed heartily several times, times when the filmmaker plainly didn't want anyone to laugh. I was the only "gora" in the audience, which wasn't numerous so I could count, and the laughter was interesting, in part because I agreed with it. Without setting up any spoilers, there were a number of plot points in the climax that made my disbelief come out of suspension as,obviously, did the disbelief of others in the cinema. I'm a fan of Saif Ali Khan and believe him capable of great movies as we saw in Kal Ho Na Ho. But, although he gets to star in this film and show his dramatic chops, that ending sabotaged his efforts.

This would count as the greatest work by VV Chopra so far. He didn't make a 3 hour long movie to justify the theme. Music was serene and everyone did their best. Saif Ali khan has matured as an actor over the years, which we've seen in Dil Chahta Hai, Kal Ho Na Ho and now in Parineeta. I'm not sure how much he really stuck to the original novel, since I haven't read it. The new-comer Vidya Balan has done an outstanding job with her facial expressions. I really liked her part. I'd never seen Raima Sen before, but she seemed to have provided a good supporting role. Sanjay Dutt was good in his own part. Overall, the movie was of an apt length with good music and some good tearjerking moments.

10/10

First things first. Parineeta is a classic. When smart choices like these are made by film makers nothing much can go wrong. Of course, there is always the ever lurking risk of comparison with the novel, but it is safe to say in this movie's case that everyone involved does a wonderful job in executing it on the screen.

Vidya Balan(as Lolitha) makes a mind blowing debut. She seems like someone who has been doing this for ages! The natural flow of emotions that she carries in her eyes and so many unsaid words makes you fall in love with her every time she comes on the screen. I am going to go out of my way here and say Lolitha is my kind of a life partner. No two ways about it.

Saif Ali Khan (as Shekar Rai) once again proves that he is a horse for the long run. His character is a complex array of emotions - ranging from the musical and romantic to the obedient son of a rich man - and Saif does justice to his role big time. I would definitely recommend him to star in more such classics since it suits him really well.

Despite his small (yet very significant) role as the kind hearted gentleman - Girish Babu, Sanjay reassures you why we love him so much. If you were rolling on the floor when he was Munnabhai, you will take a bow to his dignified personification of Girish. A legend without a doubt.

All said and done there is one thing which kept haunting me is Sanjay's casting. Call me crazy but somehow Abhishekh Bachchan kept flashing in the mind's eye for Girish's role. He would have been ideal for that role given the range the character covers.

Music is just mind blowing. Mitra does an excellent job in recreating the 60s Calcutta and feel of the life in post-British India without a single glitch. My personal favorites are "Piyu Bole...Piya Bole.." and "Kashto Mazza..." shot on the train to Darjeeling.

For someone who wants to see a REAL Indian movie this is the great example. If people loved Lagaan for being Indian to the core, this one will definitely make it to their list. Movies like these go to show that one does not have to bare skin and gyrate to remixes to be heard. What is loud and clear are the silences that this movie captures.

Well done everyone who were associated with "Parineeta". It was a brilliant and satisfying movie experience.

A 10/10 for this pure classic and hope to see more such wonders come out of the think tank of the Indian movie industry. (Calling it Bollywood will not make justice to such gems.)

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.

The opening of the movie with the rather out of tune and loud wedding song gives a rather bad first impression. But as the real story begins one is captivated by the performances by Vidya Balan and Saif AliKhan as they keep it simple and real. The supporting performances are rather shoddy especially those who portray the parents and relatives. Raima sen and snaky dutt are pleasant to watch. The ending is an interesting twist and outlines lolitas love and faith for shekhar although there is unnecessary melodrama in the last scene.

Although I've been unable to have a chance to see the original adaptation by bimal roy, vidhu chopra has definitely retained the classic essence of the film and lacks the overdone and unreal lavishness of snaky leela bhansalis adaptation of 'devdas'.(written by the same author )

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.

After a long time I saw a Hindi movie where all the actors did well with what they are supposed to do - ACT. The movie moved along at a decent pace in spite of the relaxed story line. The music and songs were wonderful, too. Like Devdas, this movie too had its detractors from an earlier generation. My father-in-law, having watched Ashok Kumar in the original Hindi version of 1953 couldn't help but find some fault with it.

My list of good Hindi movies of the 21st century grows at a snail's pace but it does grow.

1. Dil ChahtaHai 2. Devdas 3. Parineeta

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Hi all

I was reading through some of the comments posted around here and it was all 'raving good' and all. I would like to ask , has anyone really read this Novel by Saratchand ? I personally haven't (they are only in Bengali and no English translations are out there 'afaik') and was curious to meet anyone who has gone through the literature. My main query is , I would like to know if the movie people really stuck to the novel / or not [ for starters I know the novel's in the 1920's while we are showed 1962 , and there are no 'philmi' songs ] in the literature :-) so it would be nice to know,how many more such concoctions were made to make it into a 'bollywoody' slant movie, while deviating from the natural literature. My real concern is that--> 'Robocop/T2' wall bashing scene at the end , while 'saif' could have taken the easy way,the common sense way, through the gates to meet his 'wify', who would have acknowledged him with the same warmth albeit wall bashing aka 'T2' style. Was this 'T2-grunting-wall-breaking-bare-hands' action, also depicted in the literature or was it our "philmi" minds that thought this up ? No Offence to anyone or the movie,in fact it's very rare that such kinds DO get made , in days of today , so FULL credits to the film makers and their efforts in bringing us this classic.it's only that, I wanted to know how much was the original 'Great' literature tampered with.

The movie's promos and songs looked promising but I did not hope much from the film as very few films live up to it's promos. I have read the story and the movie storyline tries to be faithful as much you can expect from 'adapted screenplay' Taking the story forward in time to 1960s seemed a masterstroke as you could show opulence and beautiful things on screen. The actors suited their characters except Sanjay Dutt. He looked elderly to both the actresses in the movie(Vidya Balan and Raima Sen). Both the actresses played out their parts well(Raima as pampered younger sister and Vidya as responsible girl-woman). Saif Ali Khan oscillated between neglected son, lover and a man who misunderstands his love. Rekha looked ethereal in her 3 minute role as bar club dancer and singer. One has praises for Sabyaschi for playing the role of money-hungry father who thinks his son's marriage nothing more than a business alliance. The music, cinematography,editing and direction were fair enough and loses steam only at end scene. Thanks to Parineeta I could see Calcutta in her old world charm again and I loved it.