Preity G Zinta

Biography

Preity Zinta shot to fame as the refreshing, cool, wet model in the Liril commercial. She also modeled for Perk and her dimpled smile won the hearts of millions.

Preity never thought she would be an actress. Kapoor saw her in the Liril commercial and liked her so much that he instantly decided that the next film he would announce would have her in the lead.

However, 'Tara Rum Pum' never got made and is still pending since the director got very busy with his other projects.

But another offer soon came by, Kundan Shah's Kya Kehna (2000). Though the film was the first, Preity had actually begun shooting for her first release which was Mani Ratnam's Dil Se.

(1998). The film was a hit that won Preity accolades. Later Abbas-Mustan's Soldier (1998) who too was a hit at the box office confirmed she was here to stay.

Though Kya Kehna (2000) was her first film, but it was released in 2000 and was the surprise hit of 2000.

Her role in Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and Dil Hai Tumhaara (2002) was appreciated and liked by all and that has made her an actress to reckon with in Bollywood.

Her screen presence, charm, and down-to-earth nature have made her the favorite actress of almost all the directors and producers.

With banners and films like Rakesh Roshan's Koi... Mil Gaya (2003) with 'Hrithik Roshan', Nikkhil Advani's Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) starring Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Jaya Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar's Lakshya (2004) with Hrithik Roshan and Amitabh Bachchan, Atul Agnihotri's Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha (2004) starring Salman Khan and Bhoomika Chawla, Yash Chopra's Veer-Zaara (2004) with Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, Siddharth Anand's Salaam Namaste (2005) with Saif Ali Khan, and Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) with Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Rani Mukerji, Preity has already made her place in the hearts of the public and also in Bollywood.

She narrowly escaped death twice in late 2004, once after an explosion at a Temptation concert in Colombo, and later in the Indian Ocean Tsunami.

Graduated in Psychology.

Has won over 4 awards for Kya Kehna (2000) and 7 Awards for Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003).

Is a major fan of the hit TV series The Simpsons (1989).

Very close friends with actor Hrithik Roshan and his wife 'Suzanne Khan'.

Won Best Actress at Stardust Awards for Veer-Zaara (2004).

Her good friends in the industry include Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Saif Ali Khan.

Has written three columns for BBC South Asia.

Her father, Durganand Zinta was an officer in the Indian Army. Durganand Zinta died when Preity was thirteen, in a car accident in which her mother, Nilprabha Zinta was also involved. Her mother was bedridden because of this incident.

Has two brothers, Deepanker Zinta and Manish Zinta, a year older and a year younger respectively. One of her brothers is a commissioned officer in the Indian Army.

She joined a group of top stars (Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Rampal, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas) in the Temptation 2004 concert, which was a huge international success.

Niece Maya Zinta debuted in Ishkq In Paris.

Model and TV anchor

Turned down the lead in Marigold (2007).

She won the IIFA Style Diva Award (2005).

Appeared in Manish Malhotra's fashion show Freedom (2006).

In May 2006, along with Karan Johar, she received an invitation to represent Bollywood at the Cannes Film Festival. They took this opportunity to promote the film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006).

Critics began to take notice of her after her performance in Kya Kehna (2000).

She has never acted in a Tamil film before, though some of her films like her debut film [Dil Se.. (1998)] and her Telugu film [Raja Kumarudu (1999)] were dubbed in Tamil.

She was offered some Tamil films but rejected them because she was not familiar with that language.

Listed #41 by UK magazine Eastern Eye as one of "Asia's Sexiest Women" (Sept/ 2006).

After the release of "Prem Aggan" Partho Gosh signed Fardeen Khan and Preity Zinta for a film titled " Chaiyaan Chaiyaan". He decided to shelve the film a year later.

Was involved with T Series owner Kishen Kumar in 1997.

When not shooting she used to return to her home town Shimla. She recently moved into her own home in Mumbai, which she bought in mid-2005.

Feroz Khan had signed Preity Zinta for the Hindi remake of the Tamil film " Kaaka Kaaka". He was going to produce the film with his son Fardeen Khan in the lead. After his demise, Fardeen gave the remake rights to Vipul Shah who made the film " Force".

Starred in Shekhar Kapur's shelved film "Mantra"(2004), directed by Vishal Bhardwaj. Hrithik Roshan was approached for the lead role but declined.