“25 years for our stars to align”

Actor Vidya Balan took a deeply emotional walk down memory lane after finally watching The Last Tenant, a film she had shot nearly 25 years ago but never saw release at the time

The Last Tenant has now quietly found its way to audiences through YouTube, prompting the actor to revisit a chapter of her life she had long buried away.

Sharing an emotional note on social media, Vidya reflected on a difficult phase in her early career — a time marked by setbacks, shelved projects, and repeated replacements from films. The actor revealed that The Last Tenant became one of many unfinished memories she consciously tried to move past.

What made revisiting the film especially meaningful for Vidya was the opportunity to watch herself alongside the late Irrfan Khan, an actor she has long admired for his effortless and deeply natural performances.

“Watched The Last Tenant for the first time last night, since I shot for it 25 years ago. I shot for it and then, for some reason, it didn’t see the light of day.

This happened at a time when nothing I touched seemed to materialize. My first Malayalam film, Chakram, was shelved, following which I was replaced in almost a dozen films over a period of three years. To cut a long story short, like all the other things that didn’t work out at the time, I wanted to forget about it… so I did. I diligently shoved it under the carpet… until last week, when I received a text from director @sarthak_dasgupta informing me of its release on YouTube.

And then one vague memory popped up. I remembered calling my sister, @priyabalances, excitedly from the set to tell her that I was shooting with Irrfan Khan from Banegi Apni Baat . I thought he was the most natural actor then, and I felt the same way last night… never a false note or tone W

And since Irrfan’s passing, I have rued the fact that a couple of films that would’ve had us play opposite each other didn’t materialize, for some reason or the other. But now I at least have The Last Tenant!!

Thank you, sarthak_dasgupta It took 25 years for our stars to align, my fellow Capricorn, #irrfankhan, but they did after all” Over the years, Vidya Balan has often spoken about the struggles she faced before establishing herself as one of Indian cinema’s most respected performers. From being replaced in multiple films to eventually redefining female-led storytelling in Bollywood, her journey remains one of resilience and reinvention.

Her heartfelt reflection on The Last Tenant has struck an emotional chord online, particularly among fans of Irrfan Khan, whose legacy continues to resonate deeply across generations of cinema lovers. For many, the release of the long-delayed film now stands as a rare and poignant reunion between two remarkable actors — one that time almost never allowed audiences to witness.