Vidya Balan reveals she was offered her Bollywood debut ‘Parineeta’ at an Enrique Iglesias concert: “He told me, ‘You are my Parineeta.”

October 28, 2025 - 5:52 PM IST

Vidya Balan Recalls Getting Her Big Break During an Enrique Iglesias Concert in Mumbai

Vidya Balan reveals she was offered her Bollywood debut ‘Parineeta’ at an Enrique Iglesias concert: “He told me, ‘You are my Parineeta.”

Vidya Balan’s journey to stardom began with a moment straight out of a movie. The National Award-winning actor recently shared that her Bollywood debut, Parineeta (2005), was offered to her in the most unexpected setting — at an Enrique Iglesias concert in Mumbai.

Speaking to Bombay Times, Vidya recalled the life-changing night that turned into one of her most cherished memories. “My friend Pavitra and I were at Enrique’s concert in 2004 when director Pradeep Sarkar called to offer me Parineeta. We were trying to inch closer to the stage; my phone was off, and Enrique had stepped away between songs. Pradeep Dada couldn’t reach me, so he called Pavitra instead and asked, ‘Vidya kahan hai?’” she shared.

What happened next could easily be mistaken for a scene from a film. “Pavitra handed me the phone, and Dada said Vidhu Vinod Chopra wanted to speak to me. I told him I was at a concert and would call back once I stepped out. But then, Mr. Chopra came on the line and said, ‘Vidya Balan, you need to get out of that venue and find a quieter place to talk,’” Vidya recalled.

Reluctantly, Vidya and her friend made their way to the exit, and that’s when destiny stepped in. “He told me, ‘You are my Parineeta.’ Just then, Enrique came back on stage and started singing Hero. That song was already special to me, but hearing it at that moment made me so emotional. I couldn’t stop crying — my hands and legs were trembling. It remains one of the most special moments of my life,” she said.

Looking back, Vidya sees the incident as a beautifully poetic twist of fate. “I got my big break at Enrique’s concert. So now when people ask if I’ll be attending his upcoming show, I say, ‘I completed 20 years in movies — no wonder he’s coming back to celebrate that!’ It truly feels like my journey as a heroine began that night while he sang Hero,” she laughed. If given a chance to dedicate one of her songs to Enrique, Vidya already has the perfect pick. “It would be Piyu Bole from Parineeta. That would be poetic justice,” she smiled.

Meanwhile, Enrique Iglesias is set to return to Mumbai after more than a decade. The global pop star will perform at the MMRDA Grounds, Bandra Kurla Complex, on October 29 and 30. This marks his comeback to India after 13 years — his last visit being in 2012 during his Euphoria World Tour, which took him to Pune, Gurugram, and Bengaluru. His upcoming show will also bring him back to one of the same venues where, years ago, he unknowingly played a part in shaping Vidya Balan’s Bollywood journey.

Also Read: Priyamani opens up about her relationship with cousin Vidya Balan: “We have never been on talking terms”