Vidya Balan is stepping back in time, and taking us along for the ride as her debut film ‘Parineeta’ gears up for a grand re-release nearly two decades after it first charmed audiences, the actress is getting nostalgic about the songs that made it unforgettable.
In a recent conversation, Vidya revealed the very first track she ever heard from the film’s album. She was in Kolkata, shooting a music video with the late director Pradeep Sarkar, when he handed her a special assignment.
“He told me to go to the car and listen to a song they had just recorded,” she recalled. “I went down, put the CD on, and the moment ‘Raat Hamari Toh’ started playing, I burst into tears. It was so haunting, so beautiful, so powerful, I couldn’t help it.”
Though that was the first track she heard, Vidya Balan admits her heart belongs to another gem from ‘Parineeta’, ‘Piyu Bole’.
“There’s something about ‘Piyu Bole’ that just has my heart,” she said. “It’s so easy to hum, it has this old-world charm, it’s deeply romantic, and the way it was filmed made it timeless. Even today, I meet young people who love it, which tells me there’s truly something special about it.”
For Vidya, the ‘Parineeta’ soundtrack is flawless from start to finish. “Every single song is a favourite,” she said, reflecting on the music’s emotional depth and universal appeal.
The film’s music, composed by Shantanu Moitra with lyrics by Swanand Kirkire, remains one of the most celebrated soundtracks in modern Hindi cinema. Shantanu himself holds the album close to his heart.
Also Read: Hrithik Roshan celebrates 50 years of Rajinikanth in cinema before ‘Coolie’-‘War 2’ clash
“’Parineeta’ is a piece of my heart,” he said. “The music came from a place of honesty. The melodies had space to breathe, and the lyrics spoke straight to the soul. Chitra ji, Sonu Nigam, Shreya Ghoshal, and Sunidhi Chauhan each brought incredible sincerity to their songs. Rekhaji’s elegance gave ‘Kaisi Paheli Zindgani’ a grace that’s still unmatched.”
Swanand Kirkire, the man behind the poetic lyrics, remembers ‘Parineeta’ as a rare creative harmony. “It was like a dream where poetry and melody danced together,” he said. “From the tender love of ‘Piyu Bole’, to the joy of ‘Kasto Mazza’, to the mystery of ‘Kaisi Paheli Zindgani’, each song was born out of deep emotion. Shantanu’s music lifted my words, and the voices of Shreya, Sonu, and Sunidhi gave them life.”
He also credits the cast for bringing the songs alive. “Vidya, Saif, and Rekha ji turned those tracks into living, breathing classics. And Vinod Chopra gave us the creative freedom to write without compromise. Now, hearing them remastered is like finding an old letter that still gives you goosebumps,” Swanand said.