Parineeta (2005)

A lot of fun.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

This is a badly made, poor remake of Bimalda's classic Parineeta. The story is based on Sarat Chandra's book of the same name and it is a distortion of the original. Well one can appreciate some degree of creativity but not sham creativity. The acting by everyone is affected and the entire movie is a sham. Shekar's father's choice of words in abusing Lolita ( Balan ) sounds cheap and morbid and destroys the spirit of the original story. Again the scene where Shekhar ( Saif ) slaps Lolita is quite out of place with the flow of the movie and the characters, is quite jarring to the senses, and could have been easily avoided. Similarly the sex scene between Saif and Balan is quite unbecoming the movie and a cheap gimmick to attract the audience. When a creative work is not faithful to the original and destroys it's spirit, the work falls apart. The song "piyu bole" is quite OK. Another silver lining in the dark cloud of this movie is the scene where Saif stands up for himself and rebels against his father. This is a positive departure from the original and deserves credit. On these counts this movie deserves 3 stars. The song and dance by Rekha smacks of artifice and it is a put on. The song is tuneful but I remember having heard it somewhere before and if Iam not mistaken the tune appears to have been plagiarized. Well, agreed the times have changed from then to now. But then this movie is not even reflective of the modern times.This is what happens when the modern Bollywood film makers get increasingly obsessed with impressing the NRIs and grabbing the lucrative NRI entertainment market. Such movies end up neither belonging to India nor to any other part of the world.

I recently saw Parineeta(2005). Sitting there, watching the movie, I felt like I was watching a beautiful 1960's movie. Myself being a great fan of old movies, which are clean and free from stunts, harsh language, nudity. It is a movie well done by V.V. Chopra. During the entire movie, I was not able to get up to take a break. There are two things in this movie that could have been avoided. The dramatic climax and the small, but there, bedroom sequence with Sanjay Dutt. Other than that, a wonderful movie. After Munna Bhai MBBS, this was the movie I could watch with family. Vidya balan, despite being a débutant, has done justice to her role. She is a natural. Saif Ali Khan has once again proved himself. He just needs good roles like this one. He is so natural with the acting. Sanjay Dutt, matured as ever, looks great as Girish Babu. A great, must see movie.

When a storyteller weaves a fascinating tale that holds you spellbound, it does not matter whether it was a book, a drama, a film, a recitation or some other art form. No matter how many hours elapse the characters seem to pull you into their lives deeper and deeper, until you yourself become an indistinguishable part of the picture. For that is what 'a truly unforgettable' experience is all about. And indeed, its the very essence of Parineeta.Yes, the unmistakable signs of a master craftsman at work. Attempting a third adaptation of Saratchandra Chatterjee's immortal classic, former ad-maker and inimitable director PRadeep Sarkar does a marvelous job at a rendition so fresh, so vivid and fragrant, you can scarcely remember the original! Set in Kolkata of the 1960s, it blossoms around the lives of two lovers whom destiny has sought to separate. Father-son conflict heightens the pangs of guilt, the vain hero's deep, foreboding yearning uncherished, and his innocent lover's reticent desire unfulfilled. Debutante Vidya Balan has delivered a fantastic performance against the more experienced Saif, Raima and Sanjay. Venerable actor Sabyasachi is the epitome of a faltering ego gone extremely overboard. Music director Shantanu Moitra's score and the songs haunt you long after. Six months after watching the movie, they are still with you, wherever you go!Hats off to Sarkar and his team for this glimpse into Bengali culture, and for reminding us that the soul of creativity is very much alive and kicking. Such astute artists are desperately needed to combat the dual onslaught of Bollywood / Hollywood on the world of enjoyable cinema.Narrative ......... 10/10Drama ............... 9/10Visual Appeal .. 10/10This is a movie to watch many times over again, and to include in one's prized collection to grow old with.

Parineeta is one of the best Bollywood films this year. The story is nothing new with its familiar basic building blocks centering around such melodramatic stock items as a father-son-conflict, a greedy bad guy trying to lay his hands on what is not his and one of these contrived misunderstandings with final twist involving a badly suffering heroine and her out of line and abusive lover. Sounds familiar? Sure, it's in every other Bollywood film. The reason that Parineeta is nonetheless one of the finest Hindi films in 2005 is the execution which is most of the time very tasteful and does not resort to the formula masala shenanigans (over the top humor, fights, sound effects etc.) that may please the masses but are poison to any serious work of cinema. The cast is very good. Newcomer Vidya Balan is a discovery and Saif Ali Khan competent. Technical standards are high. The occasional slip such as the piano playing scene(s) (Khan is faking unconvincingly when in the picture while a professional's hands and arms during close-ups are correct and obviously someone else's) can not change the overall verdict: very good. The DVD is a technical milestone for Bollywood with its (almost) flawless picture quality and a DTS track. Well done. Stay away from rip off pirate discs! The original deserves to be purchased.