Meri Pyaari Bindu


Meri Pyaari Bindu is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film written by Suprotim Sengupta and directed by Akshay Roy. Produced by Maneesh Sharma under the Yash Raj Films banner, it stars Parineeti Chopra and Ayushmann Khurrana in lead roles. The narrative follows Abhimanyu, a pulp fiction writer, as he reflects on his evolving, bittersweet relationship with his childhood friend and aspiring singer, Bindu.
The film marked Roy's directorial debut and featured music composed by Sachin–Jigar, with lyrics by Kausar Munir. Principal photography took place in Kolkata and Mumbai, with cinematography by Tushar Kanti Ray and editing by Shweta Venkat Mathew.
Released theatrically on 12 May 2017, Meri Pyaari Bindu received mixed-to-positive reviews. Critics praised its concept, soundtrack, and lead performances, particularly the chemistry between Chopra and Khurrana, while the narrative structure and pacing received criticism. The film emerged as a commercial disappointment, grossing ₹17.7 crore worldwide against a reported budget of ₹22 crore. The film later gained a cult following.
At the 63rd [Filmfare Awards], the film received two nominations: Best Lyricist and Best Female Playback Singer.

Plot

Abhimanyu "Abhi" Roy, a successful pulp fiction writer in Mumbai, struggles with writer’s block while attempting to complete his latest novel. On his manager’s advice, he returns to his family home in Kolkata for a break. There, prompted by familiar surroundings, Abhi begins to revisit his past—particularly his lifelong relationship with his childhood friend and love, Bindu Shankaranarayan.
In a flashback, Abhi recalls meeting Bindu when they were neighbors as children. Bindu, an aspiring singer with a spirited personality, became Abhi’s closest friend. Although Abhi fell in love with her, he never confessed his feelings, content with being by her side. Their bond is shaken when Bindu’s mother dies in a car accident caused by her father's drunk driving. Distraught, Bindu blames her father and relocates to Melbourne, cutting short her education.
As time passes, Abhi moves to Bangalore for an MBA and stays in touch with Bindu through postcards and letters. Bindu informs him of her engagements, none of which lead to marriage. Eventually, they lose contact. Years later, Abhi, now working at a bank in Mumbai, meets Bindu again in Goa. She is engaged once more and seems content, leaving Abhi heartbroken.
Later, when Bindu's engagement ends, she reconnects with Abhi in Mumbai. The two grow closer, and Abhi, despite being in a relationship, remains emotionally attached to Bindu. Bindu begins working as a dubbing artist, and after a period of shared companionship and professional struggle, they fall in love. However, when her debut music album fails commercially, Bindu becomes disillusioned. Feeling unfulfilled, she declines Abhi’s marriage proposal, citing the need to rediscover herself, and relocates to Bangalore, severing contact.
Two years later, Abhi publishes his first novel and is gaining recognition as a writer. On the day of his book launch, he receives a call from Bindu, who informs him of her impending marriage. Abhi congratulates her, concealing his lingering feelings.
Back in the present, Abhi takes refuge from the rain in a familiar spot from their childhood and encounters a young girl—Bindu’s daughter. He later meets Bindu, now married to Mr. Nair, and shares with her a private manuscript narrating their love story, one with a happier ending. Abhi tells her that this story is just for the two of them.
The film ends at a birthday party where Abhi and Bindu dance together. In voiceover, Abhi reflects that while Bindu may have assumed many roles in life—wife, mother, daughter-in-law—for him, she will always remain his "pyaari Bindu."

Cast

commenced in Kolkata in May 2016 and concluded in October 2016.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of Meri Pyaari Bindu was composed by Sachin–Jigar, with lyrics written by Kausar Munir and Priya Saraiya. It features a total of seven songs, performed by a diverse group of vocalists including Arijit Singh, Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonu Nigam, Parineeti Chopra, Clinton Cerejo, Dominique Cerejo, Monali Thakur, Nakash Aziz, Sanah Moidutty, Jigar Saraiya, and Jonita Gandhi. Notably, Parineeti Chopra made her playback singing debut with the track "Maana Ke Hum Yaar Nahin." The full album was released on 20 April 2017 under the YRF Music label.

Reception

Box office

Meri Pyaari Bindu was released theatrically on 12 May 2017 and grossed a total of ₹17.34 crore worldwide. The film collected ₹9.59 crore nett in India and ₹4.02 crore from overseas markets. Made on a budget of ₹22 crore, it was considered a commercial failure.

Critical reception

Meri Pyaari Bindu received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise for its performances, soundtrack, and nostalgic tone, but criticism directed at its pacing, narrative structure, and overall cohesion. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 44% based on 9 reviews and an average rating of 5.38/10.
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV called it “a light-hearted, freewheeling, and charming love story with a twist ending,” awarding it three stars and appreciating its departure from typical Bollywood melodrama. The Times of India echoed similar sentiments, noting the film would appeal to the romantic at heart but describing the viewing experience as “a battle between the brain and the heart.” Filmfare praised Parineeti Chopra and Ayushmann Khurrana’s chemistry, calling their performances the film’s strongest asset, while also highlighting the retro-inspired soundtrack.
On the other hand, some reviewers offered more mixed reactions. Rahul Desai of Film Companion commended the ambition behind the non-linear storytelling and use of nostalgia but felt the film suffered from emotional detachment, describing it as “more affectation than affection.” The Daily Eye noted that while the film was visually endearing and musically rich, it struggled with uneven pacing and underwritten supporting characters. The Indian Express described the film as one with potential that falters due to an unfocused screenplay and lack of narrative drive.
More critical voices came from outlets like Koimoi, which found the story “plain boring” despite the charisma of its leads. Scroll.in called it “a rambling ode to childhood love that is nearly always out of sync,” critiquing its inconsistent tone. Livemint described the story and characters as dull and uninspired, while The Hindu questioned the chemistry between the leads, asking, “Where’s the chemistry?” Hindustan Times echoed this lack of conviction, calling the film “a dull story” with “lifeless characters.” Reviewers from Deccan Chronicle and iDiva similarly remarked that the film lacked energy and was bogged down by its own attempt at quirkiness.

Accolades