Vidhu Vinod Chopra reveals Jackie Shroff wore just 4 shirts in ‘Parinda’

Filmmaker and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra, celebrated for his recent film 12th Fail, has recently shared a fascinating story about his renowned cult classic Parinda. On the Instagram page of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s production company, an archival video was reposted featuring a discussion between Vidhu and director Sudhir Mishra. In this video, Vidhu provides a behind-the-scenes look at how Parinda was produced on an extremely tight budget, emphasizing the collective effort and resourcefulness of everyone involved.

Vidhu reveals that the film’s origins trace back to a poignant scene depicting the childhood of two brothers. In this scene, the younger brother, distressed and hungry, is comforted by the elder with the reassurance, “Rota kyun karta hai? Main hoon na” (Why are you crying? I’m here for you). This emotional foundation laid the groundwork for the film’s narrative.

In his recollections, Vidhu notes that Jackie Shroff, who played a central role, wore just four shirts throughout the film—blue, black, brown, and dark green. Anil Kapoor, who portrayed Jackie’s brother, also used these same shirts for his character and wore his own jeans during the shoot. Vidhu further explains that the iconic black Fiat 123 featured in the film actually belonged to Jackie Shroff and was used due to budgetary constraints rather than any specific design choice for the character.

VidhuChopra also reflects on his experience with his previous film Khamosh, which had failed to attract interest from distributors. This setback motivated him to create Parinda with a more commercial appeal. At the premiere of Parinda, Vidhu recalls being struck by how Jackie and Anil looked in suits and remarked, “My God, you guys look like stars!” Jackie, a close friend of Vidhu, responded with a confident, “What do you mean? Hum stars hain” (We are the stars). Vidhu admits that he hadn’t fully recognised the star power of Jackie and Anil at that time, especially considering the film’s limited budget.

This story offers a glimpse into the challenges and resourcefulness behind the making of Parinda, as well as the enduring friendships and unexpected moments of realisation that came with its success.