Aditi Rao Hydari has a rather filmi name to live up to in Ali Abbas Zafar’s nod to Helen in Parivarik ManuRanjan. The actor plays Helen in the upcoming family comedy, a hat-tip to the veteran star whose screen presence and dance numbers made her a household name. Starring opposite Pankaj Tripathi, Aditi features in the film directed by Varun V Sharma and backed by Ali Abbas Zafar.
Helen’s influence stretched beyond the screen. During the 1970s and 1980s, her style and dance moves made her such a cultural phenomenon that several parents named their daughters after her. Decades later, the name still evokes an era when a Helen number could steal the show.
For Aditi, playing a character named after the screen legend offers a chance to be part of that legacy, even as she brings her own personality to the role. The actor, known for performances in Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar and Jubilee, is entering lighter territory with Parivarik ManuRanjan.
The retro reference of the film is quirky, linking its modern day universe to a name associated with the golden era of Hindi cinema. Whether the homage extends to anything beyond the name remains to be seen but the casting detail is a playful nod to a star whose influence has lasted generations. And for Aditi, the character of Helen now has a little piece of Hindi film history of her own.
