Cinema VinesSaif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan are set to reunite on screen after their first collaboration in the 2004 film Parineeta. They will appear together again in filmmaker Ritesh Batra’s upcoming comedy‑drama, Long Years Ago, which is currently filming in Mumbai. The project also brings international star Mélanie Laurent into the cast, adding a global dimension to the film’s ensemble.
Batra, known for his intimate, character‑driven storytelling, expressed his enthusiasm for the project in an interview with Deadline. He said, “I am tremendously honored to be working with Saif, Vidya and Melanie, and to see these great actors bring characters that are so close to my heart to life.” He added that the film’s themes of love, family and the difficult conversations we often avoid resonate across cultures.
Saif Ali Khan echoed Batra’s sentiments, noting that the story “is a film about love, family, and the things we often struggle to say to one another.” He praised Batra’s “extraordinary gift for telling deeply personal stories that resonate across cultures” and said he was excited to collaborate with Laurent, Vidya and the rest of the team.
For Vidya Balan, Long Years Ago marks her first opportunity to work with Batra, whose earlier work she has admired since The Lunchbox. She said, “I’ve been a huge admirer of his work ever since The Lunchbox, and have been hoping to collaborate with him for the longest time.” She also expressed delight at reuniting with Saif, calling the reunion “the magic of working with both Ritesh and Saif.”
Mélanie Laurent recalled meeting Batra at the Marrakech Film Festival fifteen years ago. She shared, “I met Ritesh fifteen years ago at the Marrakech Film Festival, and we shared this dream to meet in Mumbai one day. I immediately loved this new project, and I am more than honored and happy to be a part of it.”
The film is being produced by Jio Studios in association with Good Chaos. Jyoti Deshpande is the producer for Jio Studios, while Mike Goodridge, Teresa Moneo and Siddharth Mehra serve as executive producers for Good Chaos. No release date or detailed storyline has been announced yet.
