Preity Zinta (pronounced [ˈpriːt̪i ˈzɪɳʈaː]; born 31 January 1975)[1] is an Indian film actress. She has appeared in Hindi films of Bollywood, as well as Telugu, Punjabi and English language films. After graduating with a degree in criminal psychology, Zinta made her acting debut in Dil Se.. in 1998 followed by a role in Soldier the same year. These performances earned her a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut, and she was later recognised for her role as a teenage single mother in Kya Kehna
(2000). She subsequently played a variety of character types; her film
roles along with her screen persona contributed to a change in the
concept of a Hindi film heroine.[2]
Zinta received the Filmfare Award for Best Actress in 2003 for her performance in the drama Kal Ho Naa Ho. She went on to play the lead female role in two consecutive annual top-grossing films in India: the science fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya (2003), her biggest commercial success,[3] and the star-crossed romance Veer-Zaara (2004), which earned her critical acclaim. She was later noted for her portrayal of independent, modern Indian women in Salaam Namaste (2005) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), top-grossing productions in overseas markets.[4] These accomplishments have established her as a leading actress of Hindi cinema.[5][6] Her first international film role was in the Canadian film Heaven on Earth, for which she was awarded the Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.[7]
In addition to movie acting, Zinta has written a series of columns for BBC News Online
South Asia, is a social activist, a television presenter, and a regular
stage performer. She is the founder of the production company PZNZ Media and, along with ex-boyfriend Ness Wadia, a co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kings XI Punjab.
She is known in the Indian media for publicly speaking her mind and
openly expressing her opinions, and consequently has sparked the
occasional controversy.[8][9] These controversies include her being the only witness not to retract in court her earlier statements against the Indian mafia during the 2003 Bharat Shah case, for which she was awarded the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Award.
Early life and background
Zinta was born into a family from Rohru in Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh.[1] Her father, Durganand Zinta, was an officer in the Indian Army.[10]
He died in a car accident when she was 13 years old; the accident also
involved her mother, Nilprabha, who was severely injured and
consequently remained bedridden for two years. Zinta called the tragic
accident and her father's death a significant turning point in her life,
which forced her to mature rapidly.[11]
She has two brothers; Deepankar and Manish, a year older and a year
younger respectively. Deepankar is a commissioned officer in the Indian
Army, while Manish lives in California.[12]
Zinta, who describes herself as a tomboy
as a child, has emphasised her father's military background as having a
lasting impression on how family life was conducted. He asserted the
importance of discipline and punctuality to the children.[13]
She studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary boarding school in Shimla.
Although she confesses to loneliness in the boarding school, she noted
that it was compensated by her finding a "... perfect set of friends"
there.[10][14] As a student, she developed a love for literature, particularly the works of William Shakespeare and poetry.[10] According to Zinta, she enjoyed schoolwork and received good grades; in her free time she played sports, especially basketball.[11]
Upon graduating from the boarding school at age 18, Zinta enrolled at
St Bede's College in Shimla. She graduated college with an English honours degree, and then started a graduate programme in psychology.[15] She earned a postgraduate degree in criminal psychology, but later took up modelling.[10] Zinta's first television commercial was for Perk chocolates, the result of a chance meeting with a director at a friend's birthday party in 1996.[10]
The director persuaded Zinta to audition for the spot, and she was
selected. Afterwards, she appeared in other catalogues and commercials,
including one for the soap Liril.[11][15]
Acting career
Early work (1997–99)
In 1997, Zinta met film-maker Shekhar Kapur
when she accompanied a friend to an audition, and was asked if she
would audition too. Upon seeing her audition, Kapur insisted that she
become an actress. She was originally scheduled to make her screen debut
in Kapur's Tara Rum Pum Pum opposite Hrithik Roshan, but the filming was cancelled. Kapur later recommended her for director Mani Ratnam's movie Dil Se...[15][16]
Zinta often recalls that when she joined the film industry, her friends
teased her that she would typically "wear white saris and dance in the
rain", thereby motivating her to play different parts.[10][16]
Zinta commenced shooting for Kundan Shah's Kya Kehna, whose release was delayed until 2000.[17] The delay of another film, Soldier, meant that her first release was Dil Se.. (1998) opposite Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala.[16]
She was introduced as Preeti Nair, a middle-class Delhi girl and Khan's
fiancée. The film was considered an unusual launch for a newcomer, as
her role called for only 20 minutes of screen time.[17] However, she was eventually noticed for her role, particularly for the forthright character she played.[11]
Her scene with Khan, in which she asked him, "Are you a virgin?",
became well-known, and her portrayal earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.[17] She played her first leading role in the action-drama Soldier (1998), a commercial hit of the year.[18] She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut for her performance in both Dil Se.. and Soldier.
Zinta next acted in two Telugu films, Premante Idera (1998), opposite Venkatesh; and Raja Kumarudu (1999), opposite Mahesh Babu. She followed with the leading role in the thriller Sangharsh, alongside Akshay Kumar. The film, based on The Silence of the Lambs (1991),[19] was directed by Tanuja Chandra and written by Mahesh Bhatt. Zinta portrayed the character of Reet Oberoi, a CBI
officer who falls in love with a captured killer played by Kumar. The
film was not a box-office success, although Zinta's performance was
appreciated by critics.[11]
Breakthrough (2000–02)
Zinta's first role in 2000 was in the drama Kya Kehna, which unexpectedly became a box-office success.[20] The film addressed themes of single parenthood and teenage pregnancy, and gained Zinta wider recognition from the public as well as film critics.[11][17] Her portrayal of Priya Bakshi, a teenage single mother who fights social prejudice, earned her several award nominations, including her first nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards. India Today reported that Zinta belonged to a new breed of Hindi film actors that breaks away from character stereotypes.[17]
Later that year, Zinta starred in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's drama Mission Kashmir alongside Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan. Set in the valley of Kashmir during the Indo-Pakistani conflicts,
the film dealt with the topic of terrorism and crime. Zinta's role was
that of Sufiya Parvez, a TV reporter and Roshan's childhood love. A
review in The Hindu said about her performance, "Preity Zinta is her usual cherubic self and lends colour to the otherwise serious proceedings".[21] It was an economic success, becoming the third-highest grossing film of the year in India.[22]
In 2001, Zinta earned positive reviews for her role in Farhan Akhtar's National Film Award-winning Dil Chahta Hai.
Depicting the contemporary routine life of Indian affluent youth, it is
set in modern-day urban Mumbai and focuses on a major period of
transition in the lives of three young friends (Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna).[23] Zinta starred as Aamir Khan's love interest, Shalini. Dil Chahta Hai
was popular with critics, some of whom noted it broke new ground by
introducing a realistic portrayal of Indian youth. The film was a
moderate box-office success in India; it performed well in the big
cities but failed in the rural areas, which was attributed by critics to
the urban-oriented lifestyle it presented.[24][25] Rediff.com wrote of Zinta that she "... is beautiful and vibrant, wavering between endearingly naive and confused".[26]
Three more 2001 releases featured Zinta, including Abbas-Mustan's romantic drama Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, which was released after a one-year delay due to the trial of producer Bharat Shah. This film was one of the first Bollywood movies to address the controversial issue of surrogate childbirth.[27] Zinta essayed the role of Madhubala, a golden-hearted prostitute
hired as a surrogate mother. Initially reluctant to play the part, she
eventually accepted it at the directors' persuasion and, to prepare for
it, visited several bars and nightclubs at Mumbai's red-light areas to study the lingo and mannerisms of sex-workers.[28] She received a second Best Supporting Actress
nomination at the Filmfare Awards for her performance, of which
reviewer Sukanya Verma wrote, "Preity Zinta, who clearly has the
meatiest part of all, makes the best of it. Her transformation from the
cocky and unabashed prostitute to a sensitive and warm person is
amazingly believable."[29]
In 2002, Zinta collaborated once again with director Kundan Shah, as the protagonist in the family drama Dil Hai Tumhaara, alongside Rekha, Mahima Chaudhry and Arjun Rampal.
Although the film did not succeed at the box office, her portrayal of
Shalu, an adopted daughter craving love, was critically acclaimed. Taran Adarsh from Bollywood Hungama
noted, "... Preity Zinta, in an author-backed role ... steals the show
with a sterling performance. Her scenes with Rekha (second half) and Alok Nath
(pre-climax) are simply outstanding. Here's a performance that is sure
to win accolades from the junta and critics whole-heartedly."[30]
Success (2003–07)
Zinta was the female lead in India's three highest-grossing films of 2003: The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, Koi... Mil Gaya and Kal Ho Naa Ho.[31] The Hero, co-starring Sunny Deol and Priyanka Chopra,
is a patriotic drama about a spy network involving terrorists and an
Indian army officer. Zinta played the part of Reshma, a villager who
falls in love with the officer and becomes part of this network. The
film, involving stunts never seen before in the cinematic history of
Bollywood, became the most expensive Hindi film ever produced at the
time.[32][33] Despite being the third highest-grossing film of that year, it failed to recover its production costs at the box office.[31][34] She next starred in Honey Irani's directorial debut, Armaan, alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor.
This drama is set in a hospital and follows the travails of its
personnel and its principal, Dr. Akash, who struggles arduously to
sustain the institution financially. Zinta played Akash's schizophrenic
wife Sonia Kapoor, a role written specially for her and which she liked
because it let her "give vent to all [her] frustrations".[35] The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Zinta was particularly praised.[36] Khalid Mohamed called her a "peppy scene-stealer, achieving her manic mood swings dexterously."[37]
For her performance, she received nominations for Best Performance in a
Negative Role at different award ceremonies, including Filmfare.
Rakesh Roshan's science-fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya, about a developmentally disabled young man, followed. Co-starring with Rekha
and Hrithik Roshan, Zinta played the role of Nisha, a young woman whom
Roshan befriends. She received another Best Actress nomination at the
Filmfare for the role. The movie was a financial and critical success
and became the most popular film of the year, as well as Zinta's
highest-grossing movie, with a domestic total of Rs 425 million;[31] it won the Filmfare Award for Best Movie, among others.
Zinta's final release of 2003 was Kal Ho Naa Ho, a drama set in New York City. It was directed by Nikhil Advani and written by Karan Johar, co-starring Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan. The film was received favourably by critics and became India's second-biggest hit of the year after Koi... Mil Gaya.
It also did well internationally and became India's top-grossing film
of the year overseas, earning over Rs 750 million worldwide.[38][39] Zinta played the role of Naina Catherine Kapur, an insecure and angry young Indian-American woman who falls in love with a man who has a fatal heart disease. She won several awards for her performance, including the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Derek Elley of Variety
wrote, "Zinta, who's been carving a growing following the past three
years or so, has never been better, definitively moving from juve roles
to a charismatic young woman with her sexy, assured Naina."[40]
In 2004 she starred as TV journalist Romila Dutta in Farhan Akhtar's war drama Lakshya, alongside Hrithik Roshan. The film was based on the historical events of the 1999 Kargil Conflict; Zinta's character was modelled after TV journalist Barkha Dutt,
the only female reporter assigned to the story. The film was a critical
success, yet her performance received mixed reviews; Namarata Joshi of Outlook likened her to "a teenybopper trying to do a TV newsreading skit for her college fest" and Rediff.com
concluded, "Zinta has quite a good role and a good deal of footage in
the film, and she does a fairly decent job of it without ever being
spectacular."[41][42] Later that year, Yash Chopra cast her opposite Shahrukh Khan as the female lead in the love saga Veer-Zaara, the top-grossing Hindi film of that year in both India and abroad, with revenues of over Rs 900 million worldwide.[38]
The film, which relates the love story of an Indian officer, Veer
Pratap Singh, and a Pakistani woman, Zaara Haayat Khan, had a strong
international release, including a screening at the Berlin Film Festival, and won several Best Movie awards at major Indian award functions.[43]
For her portrayal of Zaara, a role which required her to master the
fine nuances of Urdu language, Zinta received her fourth Filmfare Best
Actress nomination.[15] Variety
hailed her as "the most interesting young actress of her generation,"
writing that she "is her usual lively self as the willful Zaara."[44] Veer-Zaara
was Zinta's second highest-grossing film and third major success in two
consecutive years. It marked the beginning of her work with Yash Raj Films, one of the largest production houses in Bollywood.[45]
In 2005, Zinta appeared in two movies. Her first release was the folk comedy Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen, co-starring Govinda,
a production that had been delayed since 2002. The film garnered
negative reviews and poor box office returns. Zinta's role was small,
and was not well received.[46] She next starred opposite Saif Ali Khan in Siddharth Anand's comedy-drama Salaam Namaste.
Produced by Yash Raj Films, it was the first Indian feature to be
filmed entirely in Australia and went on to become the year's
highest-grossing Bollywood production outside of India, earning
Rs 570 million internationally.[38] The film tells the story of a contemporary cohabiting
Indian couple and their subsequent struggle with an unexpected
pregnancy. Zinta played the female protagonist Ambar Malhotra, a single
modern young woman who leaves India to make her own life in Melbourne. Salaam Namaste
received mostly positive reviews, and Zinta's performance earned her
nominations for Best Actress at a number of award ceremonies. Taran
Adarsh referred to her as "terrific" and argued that she gave "her most
accomplished performance to date".[47] The New York Times
noted, "She is cheerleader-homecoming queen-fraternity sweetheart
pretty, so even when her characters are being unkind it's hard not to
like her."[48]
Zinta at the 2006 IIFA Awards
Zinta received further success in 2006, starring in Karan Johar's drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna with an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Kirron Kher.
The film became one of the biggest box-office hits in India, earning
Rs 458 million, and grossed over Rs 480 million abroad, the biggest
Bollywood success of all-time in the overseas market up until then. It
was her fourth overseas top-earner in four consecutive years.[4]
The film tells the story of two unhappily married couples in New York,
and an ensuing extramarital affair. Zinta played the role of Rhea Saran,
an ambitious fashion magazine editor. She described the role as an
attempt to shed her vivacious public image.[49] The Indian Express
concurred that this was successful: "The lady has not just looked
glamorous but she has walked with poise, sat with grace, smiled with
composure and spoke with calmness. Who would have thought that the
bubbly girl could so skilfully shed her age-old tag and walk away as the
don't-mess-with-me lass. So all those who are in search of the peppy
Preity, well guys you've dialed the wrong number this time."[50]
She then starred in Shirish Kunder's romantic musical Jaan-E-Mann, a story set in the United States about two men, played by Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, who love the same woman. The film opened to mixed reviews from critics and its eventual box-office profit was poor.[51]
Zinta played the role of Piya, the cynosure of two men. She was mostly
criticised for taking a role of minimal importance, though her
performance was generally well received.[52]
Raja Sen labelled her role an "ornament throughout," but further stated
that she "comes vividly alive in the film's last scene, a moment that
makes you lament why filmmakers today don't let the babyfaced actress
have more fun instead of forcing her to sob copiously. She doesn't have
much to do in Jaan-E-Mann, but looks appropriately attractive."[53] Zinta said that the film was a great relief after the more emotionally intense Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, as Jaan-E-Mann was "easy, happy and much more simple".[54]
In 2007 Zinta portrayed a British Pakistani woman, Alvira Khan, in her third project with Yash Raj Films, Shaad Ali's comedy Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, alongside Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol and Lara Dutta. The film was a critical and commercial failure in India.[55][56] Several critics panned her performance; The Times of India
described her as "too plastic" and Rediff.com concluded, "From accent
to emotion, Preity is plain and simple insufferable in this film."[57][58]
New career prospects (2007–present)
In 2007, following the failure of two of her commercial releases, Zinta began working with art film directors, and turned towards neo-realistic movies, known in India as parallel cinema.[59] She acted in her first English film, Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear, as a struggling film actress opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The film premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, and was received well. Later reviews in India were approving, with Rajeev Masand
writing, "Preity Zinta gets through her scenes competently, never
allowing her cute-as-a-button image to take away from the impact she
makes here as a conflicted, mature woman."[60]
Zinta said about her first art film, "I did think with art films that
they don't pay you, they don't feed you, but I was wrong, and I'm so
happy to be here."[61]
Zinta next starred in Samir Karnik's Heroes (2008), a road movie
about two final-year film students who, as a part of their assignment,
travel a thousand miles across North India to deliver three un-posted
letters written by army personnel who lost their lives during the 1999
Kargil war to their families. The story unfolds the journey of these
students in three chapters and follows how they meet and are inspired by
the families of the soldiers. Zinta is featured in the first chapter as
Salman Khan's war widow, Kuljeet Kaur, a woman who becomes the sole
breadwinner of the family and single-handedly raises her son. In
preparation for the role, Zinta attended Anupam Kher's acting school, "Actor Prepares", to learn the dialect and mannerisms of a Punjabi woman.[62] The film was released to a mixed critical reaction, but her performance received rave reviews; Anand Singh of Hindustan Times
wrote, "Karnik is merely interested in wringing tears the old-fashioned
way, and not in starting a debate. He succeeds—mainly because Preity
Zinta brings to a role a gravitas and dignity that is seen on the faces
of ordinary women—this may be her coming of age as an actress."[63]
By April 2008, Zinta had completed shooting for Jahnu Barua's drama Har Pal. In the same year she played the leading role of Chand in Deepa Mehta's Canadian film Heaven on Earth, a Punjabi language mystical drama based on the true story of a young Indian woman who, post an arranged marriage to a non-resident Indian
man from Canada, migrates to Toronto and becomes a victim of severe
domestic abuse. Expressing her desire for "a new kind of acting
challenge", Zinta described Mehta as one director she was longing to
work with in order to fulfill it.[59]
To prepare for the part, she read and watched several books and
documentaries on domestic violence. As the film was to be shot entirely
in Punjabi, a language that was totally alien to her, she learnt it in a
crash course of fifty days.[64]
She was emotional during the making of the film: "I never knew a
character would effect me so deeply. I've become completely withdrawn
and introspective... I can't snap out of the character."[65] She eventually called it her most challenging project, as it helped her "shed everything that Preity Zinta was about."[66] Heaven on Earth
was first screened at several film festivals and, upon release,
garnered career-best reviews for Zinta. Her performance earned her the Best Actress (Silver Hugo) award at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival, for "her strong yet subtle performance as a woman struggling to keep her dreams despite brutal realities."[7] Among other awards, she was acknowledged with Best Actress nominations at several award functions in Canada, including the Genie Award by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and the Vancouver Film Critics Circle.[67]
Following Heaven On Earth, Zinta took a two-year sabbatical from movies, later explaining that she had chosen to focus on her work with her cricket team.[68] In 2011 she launched her own production company, PZNZ Media. She is set to star in the first film produced under the banner, Ishkq in Paris,
a romantic comedy directed by Prem Soni. An Indo-French collaboration,
the film will have Zinta portraying a half-Indian half-French Parisian
woman and will co-star several Indian and French actors. Zinta's role
required her to learn French and follow a strict diet and fitness
regime, for which she hired the services of celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson.[69][70] Originally slated to release in fall 2012, Zinta indefinitely postponed Ishkq in Paris following numerous delays.[71][72] As of July 2012, Zinta has signed on to Neeraj Pathak's action comedy Bhaiyyaji Superhitt. She will be seen opposite Sunny Deol playing the role of an aggressive Varanasi-based wife.[73]
Other work
Column writing
In 2004, Zinta joined a group of South Asian commentators for BBC News Online.
She expressed joy at participating in the project, saying, "I am pretty
outspoken and have my own view on every subject. So it will be a good
platform for me to air my views."[74] Her first column, "The changing face of Bollywood", published in January 2004,[75]
discussed the evolution of Bollywood in the past decade. The column
became one of the site's ten most read stories of the day. In her second
column, "Odds stacked against Indian women", Zinta analysed the eve teasing phenomenon in India, and criticised those who practice it.[76]
She wrote, "Incidences like these take away a woman's dignity, her
space and her freedom ... why the state is so helpless in protecting the
women. Why should women feel unsafe in a country which had an
internationally revered woman prime minister?" The column caught the
attention of readers worldwide, and she received thousands of e-mails
about it.[77] It was applauded particularly by women for its stand against abuse of Indian women.[77]
Her third column, "The darkness that all actors fear", was a more
personal column and dealt with her stardom, fans, insecurity and fears
as an actor.[78] Her fourth and final column, titled "Facing death in Sri Lanka and Thailand", described her two near-death experiences in late 2004.[79]
Stage performances and television presenting
Zinta performing at the Temptation 2004
Zinta has taken part in several stage shows and world tours since 2001. Her first world tour, a series of concerts called Craze 2001, was performed across the U.S. alongside Anil Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Gracy Singh. The show faced early cancellation due to the 11 September 2001 attacks, and the team prepared to return to India as soon as possible. However, the shows continued successfully in Canada.[80] In 2002, she participated in the show From India With Love in the UK, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. It took place at two outdoor venues, Manchester's Old Trafford and London's Hyde Park, with over 100,000 spectators.[81]
Zinta's largest world tour was in 2004, when she joined a group of
stars (Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Rampal and
Priyanka Chopra) in the Temptation 2004 tour. Showcased in over 22 countries across the world, it became Bollywood's most prominent international concert.[82][83] In 2006, Zinta was part of the Heat 2006 world tour, along with Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.[84] The Unforgettable Tour (2008) saw Zinta performing with the Bachchan family and Ritesh Deshmukh in a 40-day show staged in 11 cities across North America, Europe and the Caribbean.[85] In December 2012, Zinta returned to the stage with the Temptation Reloaded concert in Jakarta (joined by Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji and Bipasha Basu).[86]
In 2011, Zinta made her television debut as the host of the show Guinness World Records – Ab India Todega on Colors Channel.[87] An Indian version of Guinness Book of World Records,
the show premiered on 18 March to an audience measurement of 3.3 rating
points, which made it occupy the 7th position on the chart of
celebrity-driven reality shows on Hindi entertainment channels.[88] In a four-star review for Hindustan Times,
critic Rachana Dubey wrote, "Preity is a riot. She’s vivacious and
knows exactly when she needs to be serious and when she can crack
jokes."[89] Later that year, Zinta started hosting the celebrity-based chat show Up Close & Personal with PZ, shot at her own penthouse in Mumbai and broadcast on the newly-launched channel UTV Stars. The first episode aired on 3 September.[71]
Humanitarian work
During her years in the film industry, Zinta has been involved with
different charitable organisations and has particularly supported
women's causes in India, for instance protesting against female infanticide.[90][91] She has also participated in AIDS awareness drives and campaigns to clean up Mumbai.[92]
In 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, Zinta performed at the HELP! Telethon Concert raising money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[93] The following year, as an ambassador of the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Movement, Zinta attended a blood donation camp organised by the Rotary Club of Delhi
and the Godfrey Phillips Awards. She lent her support to the cause of
women's empowerment and promoted blood donation. She said, "Donating
blood doesn't kill one but goes on to save somebody's life .... Once
blood is donated it becomes universal and might be used by anyone in
need, irrespective of community, caste or region. It binds people
together."[94]
In 2007, Zinta visited Hisar, Haryana, where she spent a day at the army training base to boost the morale of the jawan troops. The visit was conducted for an NDTV show, Jai Jawan, on which entertainers and actors visit Indian troops. While there, she also met children with disabilities at a special school maintained by the army.[95] In August, along with Mumbai-based artist Gurcharan Singh, Zinta painted for the cause of street children for the non-governmental organisation Khushi.[96] In December, she joined the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to curb human trafficking in India.
She spoke on behalf of awareness against the practice, the need for
protection and rehabilitation for those rescued from it, and punishment
for perpetrators.[97]
In 2009, on her 34th birthday, Zinta adopted 34 girls from the Mother Miracle orphanage in Rishikesh and took the responsibility of financially supporting their education, food and clothing.[98]
She expressed her excitement at doing so: "I've adopted 34 girls. I'll
be looking after their entire upbringing from education to food, clothes
etc. You've no idea how wonderful it feels to hear the excited chatter
of all these girls together."[99]
In January 2010, Zinta was appointed the brand ambassador of The Loomba Trust,
an organisation that works for the welfare of widows and their
children. She said, having lost her father at 13, she could relate to
the problems faced by widowed women.[100] Later in the year, she joined the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) as their Goodwill Ambassador
in India, to promote public awareness on HIV prevention, treatment and
support, with emphasis on women and children, and combat discrimination
against it. Speaking of her appointment, Zinta expressed hope to be "the
voice for the voiceless" and bring about a "transformation in the minds
of people" through collaborative work.[101] In October 2010, Zinta was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of East London.
It was awarded in honour of both her cultural contribution and her
humanitarian work, with the citation describing her as "an international
actress, pioneering star of Hindi cinema and devoted humanitarian.
Preity has carved a path for women to follow."[102][103]
Ownership of IPL cricket team
Along with Ness Wadia and others, Zinta acquired ownership rights in 2008 for the Mohali-based Twenty20 cricket team of the Indian Premier League (IPL).[104] The group paid $76 million to acquire the franchise, and had since named the team Kings XI Punjab.[105] Until 2009, Zinta was the only woman to own an IPL team, and was the league's youngest owner.[106] She has been involved with launching ticket sales and promoting the team.[106][107]
She said, "My involvement with the team is total. I am extremely
passionate about our team and I do believe that I am the team's good
luck factor, so I want to be there for everything."[106]
Personal life
Zinta used to visit her native town Shimla when not busy in shooting. In 2006, she moved into her own home in Mumbai.[108] She does not identify with any particular religion. In an interview with The Times of India, she comments, "I believe in good deeds, in karma,
I don't believe in going to temples. For me, religion is very personal.
It's all about having faith ... We have heard and read that all
religions are equal. Now I am increasingly believing in this."[109] She narrowly escaped death twice in late 2004: first after an explosion at a Temptation concert in Colombo, Sri Lanka; and second during the Indian Ocean earthquake.[79]
Zinta has been the subject of several controversies.[110] In 2003, as a witness in the Bharat Shah case, she testified against the Indian mafia. Bharat Shah, the financer of one of her movies, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, was arrested in 2000 for having connections with Chhota Shakeel, a Mumbai underworld boss.[111] Unlike several of her colleagues, Zinta repeated in court her earlier statement that she had received extortion threats from the mafia during the shooting of the film.[112] After her testimony, she was given witness protection and was forced to stay out of the public eye for two months.[49] Thirteen other witnesses before her, including celebrities Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, were witnesses in the case but later retracted their earlier statements.[113] Zinta was the only witness who did not become hostile to the prosecution;[113] the nation responded positively to her actions.[114] Consequently, she was the first recipient of Godfrey's Mind of Steel Award at the annual Red and White Bravery Awards, given to her for the "courageous act" of standing against the Mumbai Underworld.[114]
On receiving the award, she said, "To be brave is not to be fearless.
It is when you fear and you get over it, then you can be called brave. I
am human. It is not that I fear nothing. But getting over a fear is a
continuous process and I have been successful so far."[115] Since 2006, Zinta has been the brand ambassador for the Godfrey Phillips Bravery awards.[94]
Zinta with Ness Wadia at the 2007 Giants Day Awards
Tabloids have often linked Zinta romantically with other Bollywood stars, but she has strongly denied any such rumours.[116] In 2000, Zinta began dating model Marc Robinson. They separated the following year, and according to Zinta remained on good terms. Asked in Filmfare about their break-up, she spoke of "very, very fond memories of the times we were together and I'd like to keep it to that".[117] Zinta dated the Bombay Dyeing heir, businessman Ness Wadia from February 2005 until May 2009.[118] Their relationship was often reported on by the media, with frequent speculation about an engagement or a break-up.[119][120]
In December 2006, another controversy featured Zinta when Ness Wadia
was reported to have attacked construction workers at her residence in Bandra. Reportedly, a woman was critically injured and a child was hurt in the incident.[121]
Zinta reacted angrily at hearing these rumours reported in the national
news and confronted journalists, criticising their conduct. She
challenged the press to deliver proof, and offered Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) if an injured woman was found. No evidence was found and the rumour has subsequently been regarded as false.[121]
In March 2007, Zinta was involved in a scandal when actress and singer Suchitra Krishnamurthy cited her as the cause of her divorce from Shekhar Kapur, alleging that Zinta was having an affair with him.[122]
Although initially silent on the issue, after another accusation by
Krishnamurthy, Zinta retorted, "It is unfortunate that I am bearing the
brunt of someone else's paranoia. She's clearly unstable and I wish her a
speedy recovery."[122]
She issued a statement that she had met Kapur only five times in ten
years and publicly demanded that he step forward and clear her of the
accusation.[123] Thereafter, the controversy came to an end.[124]
In the media
Zinta is particularly known in the Indian media for her
straightforwardness and for honestly expressing her forthright opinions
in public, be it about her on-screen or off-screen life or raising a
voice against any social injustice.[8][9]
These features were noted during the Bharat Shah Case, when she
testified against the underworld; following this incident she was
described by journalists as "The only man in Bollywood".[2][90]
Her characteristic dimple has been cited by the media as her trademark.
She is often described by the press as having a vivacious personality
and a bubbly, outgoing persona, an image she has confessed to disliking.[49]
Zinta at the 2004 IIFA Awards
According to film critic Sukanya Verma, Zinta's energetic nature
extends from her real-life into her appearances in films and is an
integral part of her technique. In an article discussing Hindi film
actresses and their flair for comedy, Verma wrote, "What can you say
about an actress who giggles non-stop in a tone that is anything but
prim and propah? She is carefree. She is animated. She talks non-stop.
She laughs all the time. She has a chilled out sense of humour. And a
tomboyish streak too. Preity Zinta is all that and more. All this
greatly contributes to her style of acting."[125] While reviewing Chori Chori Chupke Chupke for Hindustan Times, Vinayak Chakravorty noted that "there is an admirable zest that Preity pumps into every role she does".[126] In a review of Salaam Namaste,
Australian film critic Jake Wilson observed, "While Preity Zinta isn't
the subtlest actress, she's quite a comedienne - for a Hollywood
equivalent to her combination of beauty, high-strung emotion and facial
gymnastics you might have to go back to Natalie Wood."[127]
Following her portrayal of such characters as those in Sangharsh, Kya Kehna, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke and Salaam Namaste,
Zinta gained a reputation for playing roles that go against Indian
traditional mores and was often recognised for her versatility.[13][49][128] Critics attributed her roles in these films as to establishing a new image for leading actresses in Bollywood.[2][129][130] In the book Once Upon a Time in Bollywood,
it is stated that Zinta "resists patriarchal constraints through her
modern lifestyle and the controversial roles she chooses."[131]
In 2003, Zinta appeared in the number one spot on Rediff's "Top Bollywood Female Stars".[5] She was ranked second for the following three years.[132][133][134] She has been featured frequently on other Rediff lists, including "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses",[135] "Bollywood's Best Dressed Women"[136] and "Woman of Many Faces".[137] In September 2006, the UK magazine Eastern Eye ranked her at 41 in the list of "Asia's Sexiest Women".[138] In 2010, Time magazine selected her as one of the candidates for its list of the world's 100 most influential people. She was the only Indian actress nominated for the poll and eventually did not make it to the final list, ranked at 144.[139]
On 15 July 2005, Zinta filed a defamation suit against leading Mumbai tabloid Mid-Day after tapes emerged alleging that Salman Khan had made derogatory comments about her.[140] The tabloid published transcripts indicating that she had a sexual relationship with Khan, and she was cross-examined
as a chief witness in January 2007. She said about the case, "I felt
humiliated as it spoiled my reputation and character in public." She
told of disparaging phone calls she received from individuals pretending
to be Salman Khan, and that she had been repeatedly questioned in a
derogatory fashion by the media.[141]
Zinta further stated that the events affected her professionally as
well; a planned film with Khan was abandoned. The tape was examined by
the Government's forensic laboratory in Chandigarh which concluded that it was a fake.[142]
Between 2006 and 2008 Zinta made three consecutive appearances at the Cannes Film Festival. At first she attended the 2006 Film Festival along with filmmaker Karan Johar to represent the Hindi film industry and promote Johar's then-forthcoming Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, which featured Zinta in a leading role.[143] For the next two years, she returned to Cannes as the brand ambassador of Chopard, the maker of luxury watches and jewellery.[144]
Filmography
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Preity Zinta
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Dil Se.. | Preeti Nair | Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut (also for Soldier)[145] Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 1998 | Soldier | Preeti Singh | Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut (also for Dil Se..) |
| 1998 | Premante Idera | Shailu | Telugu film Dubbed into Hindi as Dulhan Dilwale Ki |
| 1999 | Raja Kumarudu | Rani | Telugu film Dubbed into Hindi as Prince No. 1 |
| 1999 | Sangharsh | CBI Officer Reet Oberoi | |
| 1999 | Dillagi | Rani | Guest appearance |
| 2000 | Kya Kehna | Priya Bakshi | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |
| 2000 | Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega | Jahnvi | |
| 2000 | Mission Kashmir | Sufiya Parvez | |
| 2001 | Farz | Kajal Singh | |
| 2001 | Chori Chori Chupke Chupke | Madhubala | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 2001 | Dil Chahta Hai | Shalini | |
| 2001 | Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke | Sakshi | |
| 2002 | Dil Hai Tumhaara | Shalu | |
| 2003 | The Hero: Love Story of a Spy | Reshma/Ruksar | |
| 2003 | Armaan | Sonia Kapoor | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. |
| 2003 | Koi... Mil Gaya | Nisha | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |
| 2003 | Kal Ho Naa Ho | Naina Catherine Kapur | Filmfare Award for Best Actress |
| 2004 | Lakshya | Romila Dutta | |
| 2004 | Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa | Dr. Parineeta | |
| 2004 | Veer-Zaara | Zaara Haayat Khan | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |
| 2005 | Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen | Priti Damani | |
| 2005 | Salaam Namaste | Ambar 'Amby' Malhotra | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |
| 2006 | Alag | Special appearance in song "Sabse Alag" | |
| 2006 | Krrish | Nisha | Special appearance |
| 2006 | Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna | Rhea Saran | Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 2006 | Jaan-E-Mann | Piya Goyal | |
| 2007 | Jhoom Barabar Jhoom | Alvira Khan | |
| 2007 | The Last Lear | Shabnam | First English-language film |
| 2007 | Om Shanti Om | Herself | Special appearance in song "Deewangi Deewangi" |
| 2008 | Heaven on Earth | Chand | |
| 2008 | Heroes | Kuljeet Kaur | |
| 2008 | Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi | Special appearance in song "Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte" | |
| 2009 | Main Aurr Mrs Khanna | Haseena Jagmagia | Cameo |
| 2013 | Ishkq in Paris | Ishkq | |
| 2013 | Bhaiyyaji Superhitt | Filming | |
| 2013 | Har Pal | Runa | Delayed |
| 2014 | Happy Ending | Cameo |
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