Hoichoi’s latest series Parineeta — a part of the OTT platform’s Best of Bengal collection –– is a thoughtful adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s timeless eponymous novel.

Parineeta has been adapted for the screen several times before, the most recent being Pradeep Sarkar’s superhit Hindi film in 2005, starring Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan, Sanjay Dutt and Dia Mirza. In the Hoichoi series, director Aditi Roy avoids over-dramatisation and opts for a more restrained approach that respects the source material.

Featuring Gaurav Chakrabarty as Shekhar and Debchandrima Singha Roy as Lalita, Aditi has set the story of love and heartbreak in the Bengal of 1905. Lalita, a 13-year-old orphan, lives with her uncle Gurucharan’s (Debdoot Ghosh) family and has a bittersweet relationship with Shekhar, the younger son of Gurucharan’s neighbour Nabin Roy (Loknath Dey). Lalita is also loved by Nabin Roy’s wife, Bhuvaneshwari (Pushpita Mukherjee).

When Girin (Arpan Ghoshal), a relative of Gurucharan’s neighbour Charu, enters Lalita’s life, Shekhar becomes jealous. Girin not only helps Gurucharan financially but also offers to help find a suitable match for Lalita, prompting Shekhar and Lalita to get married in secret. However, Lalita is forced to hide their marriage as Gurucharan, influenced by Girin, converts to Brahmoism, leading to social ostracism.

Struggling with societal expectations and his own insecurities, Shekhar treats Lalita harshly, pushing her to leave for Monghyr with her family. How the misunderstanding between Shekhar and Lalita is resolved forms the rest of the story.

The series doesn’t just focus on the personal drama of Shekhar and Lalita but weaves in the larger context of the anti-colonial movement that was beginning to take root in 1905. Through a meticulous recreation of the period’s cultural and political milieu, Hoichoi’s Parineeta is able to transport viewers to the early 20th century.

Much of the plot revolves around the chemistry and tension between Shekhar and Lalita, and both Gaurav and Debchandrima step up to the plate. While Gaurav brings out Shekhar’s inner conflicts and false pride, Debchandrima holds her own as the quietly dignified and resilient Lalita. Arpan Ghoshal as Girin and Mimi Dutta as Shekhar’s sister-in-law, who tries her best to unite the pair, leave a mark.