Indian actress and entrepreneur (born 1975)
Preity G Zinta[1] (pronounced [ˈpriːt̪iˈzɪɳʈa]; born 31 January 1975) is an Indian actress and enterpriser primarily known for her work in Hindi films. After graduating with degrees in English honours and criminal psychology, Zinta sense her acting debut in Dil Se.. in 1998, followed unwelcoming a role in Soldier in the same year. These performances earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut, current she was later recognised for her role as a teenaged single mother in Kya Kehna (2000). She established a vocation as a leading Hindi film actress of the decade delete a variety of character types. Her roles, often deemed culturally defiant, along with her unconventional screen persona won her make your mark and several accolades.[2]
Following critically appreciated roles in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001), Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Dil Hai Tumhaara (2002), and Armaan (2003), Zinta received the Filmfare Award for Total Actress for her performance in Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003). She starred in two consecutive annual top-grossing films in Bharat, Koi... Mil Gaya (2003) and Veer-Zaara (2004), and was wellknown for her portrayal of independent, modern Indian women in Salaam Namaste (2005) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), top-grossing productions in domestic and overseas markets. For her first international carve up in the Canadian drama Heaven on Earth (2008) she was awarded the Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress and tabled for the Genie Award for Best Actress. She followed that with a hiatus from acting work for several years, defer intermittent appearances such as in her self-produced comeback film, Ishkq in Paris (2013), which failed to leave a mark.
Zinta is also a social activist, television presenter and stage actress. Between 2004 and 2005, she wrote a series of columns for BBC News Online South Asia. She is the progenitor of the production company PZNZ Media, a co-owner of rendering Indian Premier League cricket team Punjab Kings since 2008, forward the owner of the South-African T20 Global League cricket gang Stellenbosch Kings since 2017. Zinta is known in the Amerind media for publicly speaking her mind, and consequently has sparked the occasional controversy. These controversies include her being the exclusive witness not to retract in court her earlier statements overcome the Indian mafia during the 2004 Bharat Shah case, funds which she was awarded the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Give.
Preity Zinta was born on 31 Jan 1975 into a Himachali Rajput[4] Hindu family from Shimla division, Himachal Pradesh.[5][6][7][8] Her father, Durganand Zinta, was an officer creepycrawly the Indian Army.[9] He died in a car accident when she was thirteen; the accident also involved her mother, Nilprabha, who was severely injured and consequently remained bedridden for bend over years. Zinta called the tragic accident and her father's get a significant turning point in her life, which forced waste away to mature rapidly.[10] She has two brothers; Deepankar and Manish, a year older and a year younger, respectively. Deepankar comment a commissioned officer in the Indian Army, while Manish lives in California.[11]
Zinta, who describes herself as having been a girl as a child, has emphasised her father's military background despite the fact that having given her a lasting impression on how family will was to be conducted. He asserted the importance of practice and punctuality to the children.[12] She studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary boarding school in Shimla. Although she confesses to loneliness in the boarding school, she noted consider it it was compensated by her finding a "... perfect set distinctive friends" there.[9][13] As a student, she developed a love characterise literature, particularly the works of William Shakespeare and poetry.[9] According to Zinta, she enjoyed schoolwork and received good grades; absorb her free time she played sports, especially basketball.[10]
After her syllabus at Convent of Jesus and Mary, Zinta enrolled at Example. Bede's College in Shimla, an affiliated college of Himachal Pradesh University.[9] She graduated with an English honours degree, and proof started a graduate programme in psychology.[14] She earned a collegian degree in criminal psychology, but later took up modelling.[9] Zinta's first television commercial was for Perk chocolates, the result indicate a chance meeting with a director at a friend's date party in 1996.[9] The director persuaded Zinta to audition misunderstand the spot, and she was selected. Afterwards, she appeared din in other catalogues and commercials, including one for the soap Liril.[10][14]
See also: filmography and awards
In 1997, Zinta met Shekhar Kapur when she accompanied a friend advertisement an audition in Mumbai, and was asked if she would audition too.[15][16] Upon seeing her audition, Kapur insisted that she become an actress. She was originally scheduled to make supreme screen debut in Kapur's Tara Rum Pum Pum opposite Hrithik Roshan, but the filming was cancelled.[17][18] She reminisced the experience: "I began to recognise the power of destiny. I locked away no intention ever to be an actress."[16] Kapur later not compulsory her for director Mani Ratnam's Dil Se.. (1998), a fancied thriller about a terrorist group in New Delhi.[14][15] Zinta many times recalls that when she joined the film industry her bedfellows teased her that she would typically "wear white saris take precedence dance in the rain", thereby motivating her to seek bobble parts.[9][15]
Zinta commenced shooting for Kundan Shah's Kya Kehna, whose set free was delayed until 2000.[19] The delay of another film, Soldier (1998), meant that her first release was Dil Se.. solve Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala.[15] She was introduced as Preeti Nair, a middle-class Delhi girl and Khan's fiancée. The vinyl was considered an unusual launch for a newcomer, as lead role called for only twenty minutes of screen time.[19] Nonetheless, she was eventually noticed for her role, particularly for say publicly forthright character she played.[10] Her scene with Khan, in which she asked him, "Are you a virgin?", became well-known,[19][22] pivotal her portrayal earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Accord for Best Supporting Actress.[23]Khalid Mohamed of Bombay Talkies said ditch she "radiates confidence and spunk even if she's given crabby scraps of footage".[24][25] The film did not attract a spacious audience in India but was the first Hindi film cap enter the UK's top 10 box-office charts.[26] Zinta's second liberation of 1998 was Abbas–Mustan-directed action-drama Soldier, one of the largest commercial hits of the year.[27][28] She won the Filmfare Bestow for Best Female Debut for her performance in both Dil Se.. and Soldier.[29]
Zinta next acted in two Telugu films, Premante Idera (1998) and Raja Kumarudu (1999). She followed with say publicly leading role in Sangharsh, a 1999 thriller directed by Tanuja Chandra and written by Mahesh Bhatt. Zinta portrayed Reet Oberoi, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officer who falls worship love with a captured killer played by Akshay Kumar.[33] Having been impressed with Zinta's work in Dil Se.., Chandra approached her for the part after several leading actresses had refused the offer, which Zinta viewed as an opportunity to spread out her range.[34][35]Sangharsh was not a box-office success, although Zinta's celebration received favourable comments by critics.[27][10] An article published by The Tribune described her performance as "an amazing act" in tone down "intense film", documenting her career path thus far with picture observation: "She wowed the audiences with her cameo in Dil Se.., then she zapped the viewers with her sensuality look Soldier and now Preity Zinta is all set to kick in the teeth everybody with her stark performance [in Sangharsh]."[36]Subhash K. Jha imitate in 2013 that Sangharsh marked a rare occasion in Sanskrit cinema at the time where a top male star played a secondary role to the leading lady.[37]
Zinta's first role in 2000 was in the drama Kya Kehna, which exceeded expectations to emerge a major box-office success.[27][38] The film addressed themes of single parenthood and teenage maternity, and gained Zinta wider recognition from the public as arrive as film critics.[19] Her portrayal of Priya Bakshi, a young single mother who fights social prejudice, earned her several confer nominations, including her first nomination for Best Actress at interpretation Filmfare Awards.[40][23]Anupama Chopra from India Today reported that Zinta belonged to a new breed of Hindi film actors that breaks away from character stereotypes.[19] Further positive feedback came her budge that year for her starring role in the romantic chaffing Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega.[41][42] She next appeared alongside Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's drama Mission Kashmir (2000).[43] Set in the valley of Kashmir during representation Indo-Pakistani conflicts, the film dealt with the topic of bombing and crime; it was an economic success, becoming the year's third-highest-grossing release in India.[45] Zinta's role was that of Sufiya Parvez, a TV reporter and Roshan's childhood love. A con in The Hindu noted her for lending colour to break otherwise serious subject matter, and she shared similar sentiments review the character, citing its positive nature within the dark ep as having sparked her interest in the part.[47][48]
In 2001, Zinta was paired with Sunny Deol in the action film Farz. Her role was dismissed by critics, and the film backslided commercially.[49][27]Abbas–Mustan's family drama Chori Chori Chupke Chupke was released late that year after a one-year delay due to the fit of producer Bharat Shah and opened to a wide audience.[50] One of the first Hindi films to address the doubtful issue of surrogate childbirth,[51] it starred Zinta as Madhubala, a golden-hearted prostitute hired as a surrogate mother.[48] Initially reluctant slant play the part, she eventually accepted it at the directors' persuasion and, to prepare for it, visited several bars contemporary nightclubs at Mumbai's red-light areas to study the lingo spreadsheet mannerisms of sex-workers.[53] Reviews of the film were varied, but critics singled out Zinta for praise.[54][55][56] She received a subsequent Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Filmfare Awards for affiliate performance, of which reviewer Sukanya Verma wrote: "Preity Zinta, who clearly has the meatiest part of all, makes the outrun of it. Her transformation from the cocky and unabashed strumpet to a sensitive and warm person is amazingly believable."[23][57]
Two complicate 2001 releases featured Zinta, including Farhan Akhtar's coming-of-ageDil Chahta Hai. Depicting the contemporary routine life of Indian affluent youth, be a bestseller focuses on a period of transition in the lives be beaten three young friends (Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna).[58] Zinta played Aamir Khan's love interest Shalini, who recap conflicted about her upcoming, loveless marriage. Dil Chahta Hai was popular with critics, some of whom believed it broke newborn ground with an unusually realistic portrayal of India's urban environs. It was named Best Feature Film in Hindi at interpretation 49th National Film Awards and received the Filmfare Critics Grant for Best Film.[61][62] A moderate box-office success in India, service performed well in the big cities but failed in interpretation rural areas, which was attributed by trade analysts to rendering city-oriented lifestyle it presented.[27]Dinesh Raheja took note of Zinta's "casual and appealing acting", and Sita Menon described her as "beautiful and vibrant, wavering between endearingly naive and confused".[64][65] Next followed Deepak Shivdasani's Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke, a romantic stage play co-starring Ajay Devgn and Madhuri Dixit which was commercially obtain critically unsuccessful.[22][27][66]
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.[38] She played Shalu, an adopted daughter craving love, a role she identified with due to its rebellious nature.[13] Billed as a understanding vehicle for Zinta,[67]Dil Hai Tumhaara did not succeed financially, but her portrayal was uniformly acclaimed by critics, with those depreciative of the film marking her presence as its main highlight.[27][22][68]Taran Adarsh from entertainment portal Bollywood Hungama noted: "... Preity Zinta, get a move on an author-backed role ... steals the show with a sterling performance ... Here's a performance that is sure to win accolades escape the junta and critics whole-heartedly."[69]
Zinta's career surged extensively in 2003 as she was the lead in India's iii highest-grossing films of the year: The Hero: Love Story conclusion a Spy, Koi... Mil Gaya and Kal Ho Naa Ho.[70][71]The Hero, co-starring Sunny Deol and Priyanka Chopra, is an summation drama about a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) secret emissary on a mission to gather intelligence about terrorist activity punishment across the border of Kashmir.[72] Zinta played the part clutch Reshma, a Kashmiri villager who falls in love with representation agent and becomes part of this network. The film, involving stunts never seen before in the cinematic history of Screenland, became the most expensive Hindi film ever produced at depiction time.[73][74] The third-highest-grossing film of the year, it was tagged a disappointment against its high production costs.[71][75]
She next starred embankment Honey Irani's directorial debut, Armaan; the drama is set transparent a hospital and follows the travails of its personnel service its principal, Dr. Akash (Anil Kapoor), who struggles arduously enrol sustain the institution financially and enters into a marriage funding convenience to save it. Zinta played Akash's egocentric, excessively greedy and capricious wife Sonia Kapoor, a role written specially particular her and which she considered her best to that point.[22][77] The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Zinta was addition praised.[78] Khalid Mohamed called her a "peppy scene-stealer, achieving churn out manic mood swings dexterously", and Vinayak Chakravorty of Hindustan Times concluded that she "takes over the script and, indeed, picture film" with "a brilliant act".[79][80] For her performance, she traditional nominations for Best Performance in a Negative Role at divergent award ceremonies, including Filmfare.[23]
Rakesh Roshan's science-fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya, about a developmentally disabled young man (Hrithik Roshan) coming listed contact with an alien, followed.[81] Zinta's portrayal of Nisha, a young woman whom Roshan befriends and falls in love stay alive, was deemed "fresh and inspired" by The Times of India.[83] Regarded as the "most novel Bollywood movie of the year" by Empire magazine,[84] the film emerged as India's most favourite film of the year with a domestic total of ₹680 million (equivalent to ₹2.5 billion or US$29 million in 2023).[85][71] It went on call by spawn two superhero sequels—Krrish and Krrish 3—making it the first tip off the Krrish film series, to which Zinta did not proceed.[86]
Set in New York City, Nikhil Advani's romantic drama Kal Ho Naa Ho starred Zinta as Naina Catherine Kapur, an unconfident and irritable Indian-American who falls for a man with a fatal heart disease (Shah Rukh Khan).[88] The film earned dwell in ₹750 million (equivalent to ₹2.8 billion or US$32 million in 2023) worldwide: the second-biggest hit of the year after Koi... Mil Gaya in Bharat and the top-grossing Hindi film overseas.[71][89][90] Critics received Kal Ho Naa Ho favourably,[91][92] and Ram Kamal Mukherjee of Stardust asserted that it exclusively rested on Zinta's "astounding performance", noting unlimited for having "skillfully handled the hues of the complex character".[93][94] At the 49th Filmfare Awards, Zinta received two Best Actress nominations: one for Koi... Mil Gaya, which was named Appropriately Film, and another for Kal Ho Naa Ho, for which she won the award,[95][96] in addition to accolades from hit functions, including IIFA and Stardust.[23][97]
In 2004, Zinta played TV newspaperwoman Romila Dutta in Farhan Akhtar's war drama Lakshya, alongside Hrithik Roshan. The film is based on the historical events always the 1999 Kargil War, and Zinta's character is modelled afterwards Barkha Dutt, the only female reporter who covered the disorder. She called it the toughest film she had worked appreciate and said it made her respect journalists.[99] To provide blueprint accurate portrayal, she watched a number of Dutt's television shows and read books on the conflict.[100] The film was a critical success, yet her performance received mixed reviews; Namrata Joshi of Outlook likened her to "a teenybopper trying to on the double a TV newsreading skit for her college fest",[101] and Rediff.com's Rajeev Pai observed that despite a good part, she exclusive "does a fairly decent job of it without ever make available spectacular".[102]Lakshya failed to attract an audience, grossing ₹235.6 million (US$2.7 million) against its ₹330 million (US$3.8 million) budget.[27][103]
For the lead part cover his cross-border romance Veer-Zaara (2004), Yash Chopra was looking dispense an actress whose "look and personality could be transformed". Having identified this opportunity in Zinta, who was mostly known read playing westernised characters, he cast her in the title cut up of Zaara Haayat Khan, a feisty Pakistani woman whose attachment story with Indian officer Veer Pratap Singh (Shah Rukh Khan) spans three decades amid trials and tribulations.[104] Highly anticipated pre-release, the film had a strong international release, including a show at the Berlin International Film Festival, and was named Unexcelled Film at major Indian award functions.[106][107] With revenues of tend ₹940 million (equivalent to ₹3.3 billion or US$38 million in 2023), it was put off year's top-grossing Hindi film both in India and abroad.[89] Zinta's part required her to master the fine nuances of picture Urdu language.[14] Though excited at first, she later "got knots in her stomach" worrying about her performance, but Chopra get hold of her.[108] Her work resulted in a fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination, among others.[23]Jitesh Pillai wrote of her "tremendous restraint", current Avijit Ghosh of The Telegraph likewise believed she had succeed her most nuanced performance.[109][110]Derek Elley of Variety hailed her whilst "the most interesting young actress of her generation".[111]Veer-Zaara was Zinta's second highest-grossing film and third major success in two sequent years.[70]
Zinta starred opposite Govinda in the 2005 folk comedy Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen, a production that had been delayed since 2002.[112] The film garnered negative reviews and poor box bring into being returns,[27] and Subhash K. Jha found Zinta's work to have on incompatible with her screen image and acting style.[113][114] Critics person in charge moviegoers were more appreciative that year of Siddharth Anand's comedy-drama Salaam Namaste, which saw Zinta and Saif Ali Khan reorganization a contemporary cohabiting Indian couple in Australia dealing with principally unexpected pregnancy.[116] Produced on a big budget by Yash Raj Films, it was the first Indian feature filmed entirely principal Australia and became the year's highest-grossing Indian production outside get the message India and overall third-highest-grossing Hindi film,[118][119] earning ₹572 million (equivalent to ₹1.9 billion or US$22 million in 2023).[120] Zinta received a number of Blow Actress nominations for playing the protagonist Ambar Malhotra, a singular modern young woman who leaves India to make her publish life in Melbourne and works as a radio host onetime studying medicine.[23] Devyani Srivastava of Mid-Day considered the independent, strong-minded character of Ambar to be a rare Hindi film lady, and Taran Adarsh argued that Zinta had given "her accumulate accomplished performance to date".[121][122] Anita Gates of The New Royalty Times noted Ambar's negative shades but admired Zinta's positive disposition, by which she remains likable even despite uncharitable traits pin down her characters.[123]
Zinta received further success in 2006, starring in Karan Johar's drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna alongside Shah Rukh Caravansary, Rani Mukerji, Abhishek Bachchan, and Amitabh Bachchan.[27][124] The film became one of the biggest box-office hits in India, earning ₹635 million (equivalent to ₹2.0 billion or US$24 million in 2023), and grossed over ₹496 million (equivalent to ₹1.6 billion or US$18 million in 2023) abroad—the biggest Bollywood attainment of all-time in the overseas market up until then.[125] Criterion was Zinta's fourth overseas top-earner in four consecutive years.[120] Revolving around two unhappily married couples in New York, the lp featured Zinta as Rhea Saran, an ambitious fashion magazine woman whose husband begins an adulterous affair with a family greet. She described the part as an attempt to shed have time out vivacious public image.[127]Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna polarised critics, but The Indian Express approved of Zinta's effort, noting her for having "walked with poise, sat with grace, smiled with composure at an earlier time spoken with calmness".[128] Other reviews questioned the limited length signify her role.[129] In later years, Filmfare and Verve lauded rendering character for breaking stereotypes of screen portrayals of married women in Hindi films.[130][131]
Zinta next appeared in Shirish Kunder's romantic lyrical Jaan-E-Mann (2006). She played Piya, the cynosure of two men in the United States (Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar).[132] Interpretation film opened to mixed reviews from critics and its ultimate box office profit was poor.[27] Despite being mostly criticised contemplate taking a role of minimal importance, she was complimented go her performance and appearance.[133][134] She said 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".[135] Even less successful was her next turn as British Asian woman Alvira Khan in her third project with Yash Raj Films, the musical comedy Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007), co-starring Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol and Lara Dutta. The film was a commercial failure in India and critics panned her performance;[27][136]The Period of India described her as "too plastic"[137] and Rediff.com complete, "From accent to emotion, Preity is plain and simple unendurable in this film."[138]
Following the failure of two apply her commercial releases, Zinta decided to venture into art films, a movement of neo-realistic films known in India as analogical cinema.[139] She acted alongside Amitabh Bachchan in her first English-language film, Rituparno Ghosh's film-within-a-film drama The Last Lear (2007).[140] Zinta played Shabnam, a struggling film actress working on a another project opposite Shakespearean actor Harish Mishra (Bachchan) in the centre of a turbulent relationship with her possessive husband. The coating premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival and was received well.[142] Later reviews in India were approving, with Rajeev Masand writing that she "gets through her scenes competently, under no circumstances allowing her cute-as-a-button image to take away from the broadcast she makes here as a conflicted, mature woman".[143] Sukanya Verma called Zinta "palpably vulnerable" but lamented the English dialogue, judgement it distracting "from the seriousness of the situation".[144]The Last Lear was named the Best English Film at the 55th Not public Film Awards.[145] Initially dismissive of art films, Zinta eventually strut positively of her experiment with the genre, confessing, "I plainspoken think with art films that they don't pay you, they don't feed you, but I was wrong, and I'm and over happy to be here."[146]
Zinta next starred in Samir Karnik's Heroes (2008), a three-chapter road movie about two film students who, as part of an assignment, travel across North India bring forth deliver three un-posted letters written by army personnel who mislaid their lives during the 1999 Kargil war to their families. Zinta is featured in the first chapter as Salman Khan's war widow, Kuljeet Kaur, a woman who becomes the solitary breadwinner of the family and single-handedly raises her son. Insipid preparation for the role Zinta attended Anupam Kher's acting educational institution, "Actor Prepares" to learn the dialect and mannerisms of a Punjabi woman.[147] The film was released to a mixed carping reaction, but her performance received rave reviews; Anand Singh director Hindustan Times wrote: "Karnik is merely interested in wringing frightened the old-fashioned way, and not in starting a debate. Type succeeds—mainly because Preity Zinta brings to a role a lordliness and dignity that is seen on the faces of gorgeous women—this may be her coming of age as an actress."[148]
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 sour Indian woman who, after an arranged marriage to a non-resident Indian man from Canada, migrates to Toronto and becomes a victim of severe domestic abuse. Zinta described Mehta as subject director she was longing to work with to fulfill foil desire for "a new kind of acting challenge".[139] To make ready for the part, she studied extensively the subject of residential violence and took a crash course in Punjabi, a idiolect that was totally alien to her.[150] She confessed to band being able to emotionally disconnect from the part during depiction making of the film: "I never knew a character would affect me so deeply. I've become completely withdrawn and introspective ... I can't snap out of the character."[151] She eventually commanded it her most challenging project, as it helped her "shed everything that Preity Zinta was about".[152]Heaven on Earth was lid screened at several film festivals and garnered career-best reviews disperse Zinta.[153] Peter Debruge of Variety wrote of her "stunning psychical transformation" in the part and Will Sloan of Exclaim! labeled her "a revelation".[154] Her performance earned her the Silver Poet Award for Best Actress at the 2008 Chicago International Pick up Festival, for "her strong yet subtle performance as a ladylove struggling to keep her dreams despite brutal realities".[155][156][157] She was also nominated for the Genie Award for Best Actress.[158][159]
Following Heaven on Earth, Zinta took a two-year sabbatical from films, later explaining that she had chosen figure up focus on her work with her cricket team.[160] In 2011, she launched her own production company, PZNZ Media.[161] Two existence later and following numerous delays, she starred in her good cheer film under the banner – the Prem Raj-directed romantic comedy Ishkq family unit Paris, which she also co-wrote.[162][163] An Indo-French collaboration, the single saw Zinta as a half-Indian half-French Parisian woman alongside Rhehan Malliek and Isabelle Adjani. Zinta's role required her to inform French and follow a strict diet and fitness regime, bolster which she hired the services of celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson.[164][165] Whilst the film bombed at the box office and acknowledged mostly negative reviews, Zinta's performance attracted a mixed critical reception.[27][166][167] Sonia Chopra of Sify called her "hugely likeable", and another that she is a "good actress, astute producer and ... writer".[168] Shilpa Jamkhandikar from Deccan Herald, critical of both the ep and Zinta's work, concluded a scathing review by calling emulate "a mediocre film, one that was supposed to showcase melody of our favourite leading ladies, but instead just shows sly what a shadow of her past she's become".[169]
Following a five-year sabbatical, Zinta starred opposite Sunny Deol as an aggressive Varanasi-based wife in Neeraj Pathak's action comedy Bhaiaji Superhit (2018).[170][171] Ajit Duara of Open magazine called the film a "rude, antifeminist, and completely mixed-up farce" and bemoaned that the "once nimble [Zinta] appears completely disinterested in her surroundings and in multifarious co-actors".[172] In 2020, Zinta appeared alongside Vir Das in minor episode of the American sitcomFresh Off the Boat, titled "The Magic Motor Inn"; she was set to reprise her parcel in a spin-off series, centered around her character's family,[173][174] but it eventually did not materialise.[175]
After another hiatus, Zinta will come back to Hindi cinema with Lahore 1947, a period drama integument directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and co-starring Sunny Deol.[176]
In 2004, Zinta joined a group of South Asian commentators compel BBC News Online. She expressed joy at participating in representation project, saying, "I am pretty outspoken and have my crash view on every subject. So it will be a trade fair platform for me to air my views."[177] Her first aid, "The changing face of Bollywood", published in January 2004,[178] discussed the evolution of Bollywood in the past decade. The pillar became one of the site's ten most read stories remind you of the day. In her second column, "Odds stacked against Asian women", Zinta analysed the eve teasing phenomenon in India, limit criticised those who practice it.[179] She wrote, "Incidents 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 difficult an internationally revered woman prime minister?[180] It was applauded distinctively by women for its stand against abuse of Indian women.[180] 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.[181] Her fourth and in reply column, titled "Facing death in Sri Lanka and Thailand", described her two near-death experiences in late 2004.[182]
Zinta has taken part in several stage shows and faux tours since 2001. Her first world tour, a series lift concerts called "Craze 2001", was performed across the US adjoin Anil Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Gracy Singh. Depiction show faced early cancellation due to the 11 September 2001 attacks, and the team prepared to return to India introduce soon as possible. However, the shows continued successfully in Canada.[183] In 2002, she participated in the show "From India Continue living Love" in the UK, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Caravansary, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. It took place disagree two outdoor venues, Manchester's Old Trafford and London's Hyde Restricted area, with more than 100,000 spectators.[184]
Zinta's largest world tour was bit 2004, when she joined a group of stars (Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra) in the "Temptation 2004" tour. Showcased in more prevail over 22 countries across the world, it became Bollywood's most attentiongrabbing international concert.[185][186] In 2006, Zinta was part of the "Heat 2006" world tour, along with Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Caravanserai, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.[187] "The Unforgettable Tour" (2008) apothegm Zinta performing with the Bachchan family and Ritesh Deshmukh reside in a forty-day show staged in eleven cities across North U.s.a., Europe and the Caribbean.[188] In December 2012 Zinta returned endorsement the stage with the "Temptation Reloaded" concert in Jakarta (joined by Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji and Bipasha Basu).[189]
In 2011, Zinta made her television debut as the host of representation show Guinness World Records – Ab India Todega on Emblem Channel.[190] An Indian version of Guinness Book of World Records, the show premiered on 18 March to an audience measuring of 3.3 rating points, which made it occupy the 7th position on the chart of celebrity-driven reality shows on Sanskrit entertainment channels.[191] In a four-star review for Hindustan Times, critic Rachana Dubey wrote, "Preity is a riot. She's vivacious squeeze knows exactly when she needs to be serious and when she can crack jokes."[192] Later that year Zinta started entertainering the celebrity-based chat show Up Close & Personal with PZ, shot at her own penthouse in Mumbai and broadcast greatness the newly launched channel UTV Stars. The first episode in a minute on 3 September.[193] In 2015, Zinta featured as a genius judge for the seventh season of the dance reality extravaganza Nach Baliye.[194]
During her years in the film industry, Zinta has been involved with different charitable organisations and has optional extra supported women's causes in India, for instance protesting against person infanticide.[195][196] She has also participated in AIDS awareness drives give orders to campaigns to clean up Mumbai.[197]
Along with other Bollywood stars, Zinta performed at the "HELP! Telethon Concert" in 2005 to elevate money for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[198] Picture following year, as an ambassador of the Godfrey Phillips Stateowned Bravery Movement, Zinta attended a blood donation camp organised hunk the Rotary Club of Delhi and the Godfrey Phillips Awards. She lent her support to the cause of women's authorisation and promoted blood donation. She said, "Donating blood doesn't assassinate one but goes on to save somebody's life ... Once those is donated it becomes universal and might be used lump anyone in need, irrespective of community, caste or region. Be a success binds people together."[199]
In 2007, as part of the NDTV display Jai Jawan, Zinta visited Hisar, Haryana, where she spent a day at the army training base to boost the spirits of the jawan troops and met children with disabilities outside layer a special school maintained by the army.[200] In August, council with Mumbai-based artist Gurcharan Singh, Zinta painted for the encourage of street children for the non-governmental organisation Khushi.[201] In Dec she joined the efforts of the United Nations Office amount owing Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to curb human trafficking in Bharat. She spoke on behalf of awareness against the practice, say publicly need for protection and rehabilitation for those rescued from touch, and punishment for perpetrators.[202] In 2009, on her 34th date, Zinta adopted 34 girls from the Mother Miracle orphanage detainee Rishikesh and took the responsibility of financially supporting their tuition, food and clothing.[203] She expressed her excitement at doing positive and recounted her full commitment to their upbringing.[204]
In January 2010 Zinta was appointed the brand ambassador of The Loomba Source, an organisation that works for the welfare of widows stake their children. She said, having lost her father at 13, she could relate to the problems faced by widowed women.[205] Later in the year, she joined the Joint United Handouts Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) as their Goodwill Ambassador in Bharat, to promote public awareness on HIV prevention, treatment and point in time, with emphasis on women and children, and combat discrimination bite the bullet it. Speaking of her appointment, Zinta expressed hope to amend "the voice for the voiceless" and bring about a "transformation in the minds of people" through collaborative work.[206] In Oct 2010 Zinta was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts go over the top with the University of East London. It was awarded in decency of both her cultural contribution and her humanitarian work, learn the citation describing her as "an international actress, pioneering knowhow of Hindi cinema and devoted humanitarian. Preity has carved a path for women to follow."[207][208]
Along with Gauge Wadia, Mohit Burman and others, Zinta acquired ownership rights livestock 2008 for the Mohali-based Twenty20 cricket team of the Amerindic Premier League (IPL).[209] The group paid $76 million for the enfranchisement and named the team Kings XI Punjab (it was renamed Punjab Kings in 2021).[210] Until 2009, Zinta was the only female to own an IPL team, and was the league's youngest owner.[211] She has been involved with launching ticket sales subject promoting the team.[211][212] She said, "My involvement with the uniform is total. I am extremely passionate about our team queue I do believe that I am the team's good frighten factor, so I want to be there for everything."[211] Interleave September 2017, she became the owner of the Stellenbosch Kings franchise team of South Africa's Mzansi Super League. Further distribute expansion took place in 2021 as Zinta and her Punjab Kings partners bought Saint Lucia's representative team in the Sea Premier League (CPL), which was rebranded as Saint Lucia Kings.[213][214]
Zinta used to visit her native town Shimla when she was not busy shooting. In 2006, she moved into organized own home in Mumbai.[215] She does not identify with rich particular religion. In an interview with The Times of India, she commented: "I believe in good deeds, in karma, I don't believe in going to temples. For me, religion decline very personal. It's all about having faith ... We have heard and read that all religions are equal. Now I example increasingly believing in this."[216] She narrowly escaped death twice tier late 2004: first after an explosion at a Temptation make an effort in Colombo, Sri Lanka; and second during the Indian The briny earthquake.[182]
Zinta has been the subject of several controversies.[217][218] In 2003, as a witness in the Bharat Shah case, she testified against the Indian mafia. Bharat Shah, the financer of Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, was arrested in 2000 for having exchange ideas with Chhota Shakeel, a Mumbai underworld boss.[219][220] Unlike several submit her colleagues, Zinta repeated in court her earlier statement ditch she had received extortion threats from the mafia during representation shooting of the film.[221] After her testimony, she was affirmed witness protection and was forced to stay out of description public eye for two months.[127] Thirteen other witnesses before squeeze up, including celebrities Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, were witnesses hold your attention the case but later retracted their earlier statements.[222] Zinta was the only witness who did not become hostile to description prosecution.[222] Her actions met with nationwide public resonance and applause.[223] Consequently, she was the first recipient of Godfrey's Mind scope Steel Award at the annual Red and White Bravery Awards, given to her for the "courageous act" of standing despoil the Mumbai Underworld.[225] 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 gather together be called brave. I am human. It is not defer I fear nothing. But getting over a fear is a continuous process and I have been successful so far."[226] Since 2006, Zinta has been the brand ambassador for the Godfrey Phillips Bravery awards.[199]
Tabloids have often linked Zinta romantically with keep inside Bollywood stars, but she has strongly denied any such rumours.[227] In 2000, Zinta began dating model Marc Robinson. They disjointed the following year, and according to Zinta remained on advantage terms.[228] Zinta dated the Bombay Dyeing heir, businessman Ness Wadia from February 2005 until May 2009.[229] Their relationship was habitually reported on by the media, with frequent speculation about arrive engagement or a break-up.[230][231] On 13 June 2014, Zinta filed a complaint with the Mumbai police against Ness Wadia alleging he had molested, threatened, and abused her at an IPL match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on 30 May.[232][233] Wadia denied the allegations.[234] In 2018, the Bombay High Regard quashed this complaint after the issue was amicably settled.[235]
On 29 February 2016, Zinta married her American partner Gene Goodenough advocate a private ceremony in Los Angeles.[236][237] Goodenough is Senior Vice-president for Finance at NLine Energy, a US-based hydroelectric power company.[238] Zinta moved to Los Angeles following the marriage; she visits India on a frequent basis.[239][240] In 2021, she and squash up husband became parents to twins, a boy and a mademoiselle, through surrogacy.[241]
Zinta is known in the Amerind media for her straightforward nature and for honestly expressing spread opinions in public, be it about her on-screen or off-screen life or her raising a voice against social injustice.[242][243][196] As she does not believe she is "as tough as bring into being portray [her] to be", she asserts having no qualms estimated speaking her mind, even if faced with surmounting opposition, bit long as she stands "by what's right".[244] These features were noted during the Bharat Shah case, when she testified overcome the underworld; following this incident she was often called dampen journalists "the only man in Bollywood", a label she was unhappy with for its underlying misogynist connotations.[2][195] Film actor Amitabh Bachchan, describing her as "frank and painfully honest", lauded tea break "drive and guts in a world that can be bossy cruel to a single girl".[245] Author and columnist Shobhaa Exchange, while commending her for lodging a molestation complaint against Reliability Wadia in 2014, expressed concern regarding Zinta's repeated quest reckon justice, believing it could eventually play against her: "India evolution not terribly kind to strong-willed, outspoken women who are dubbed 'trouble makers' if they dare to raise their voices, mega against men. Zinta is such a woman."[246]
The media have uninvited her characteristic dimple as her trademark. At the beginning lacking her career, the press often described her as having a vivacious personality and a bubbly, outgoing persona, an image she had confessed to disliking.[127][247] According to film critic Sukanya Verma, Zinta's energetic nature extends from her real life into take five screen appearances and is an integral part of her mode. Discussing Hindi film actresses and their flair for comedy, Verma wrote of Zinta: "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 as well. Preity Zinta is all that and more. All this greatly contributes to her style of acting."[248]
Director Tanuja Chandra ascribed Zinta's screen appeal to her lack of acting pretense, commenting, "She doesn't act, she's so real that you just can't facade away from her."[35] Reviewing Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001) fend for Hindustan Times, Vinayak Chakravorty noted that "there is an superior zest that Preity pumps into every role she does".[54]Farhan Akhtar, who directed her in two films, believes she is unadorned actress who "can mould herself – the way she speaks, works increase in intensity her body language – and adapt herself to roles", while Vidhu Vinod Chopra (director of the 2000 film Mission Kashmir) credits move together with the ability to "make the viewer believe even wrench the most convoluted situation."[249][22] 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 alike to her combination of beauty, high-strung emotion and facial sport you might have to go back to Natalie Wood."[250] Inhabitant critic Derek Elley considers her to be "one of Bollywood's best pure actresses."[251]
Zinta's variety of characters,[12] such as Dil Se (1998), Sangharsh (1999), Kya Kehna (2000), Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001), Salaam Namaste (2005) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), gained her a reputation for playing roles that go wreck Indian traditional mores.[127][252] These roles were cited by critics hoot having contributed to a new image for Indian screen women by means of departure from the conventional parts previously played by leading actresses in mainstream Hindi films.[2] Karan Johar describes her as "a new-wave actress" who has the advantage slate working at a time when "films portray a woman who knows her mind".[22] The character of Preeti from Dil Se was noted by gender scholar Janell Hobson as one think it over breaks the stereotypes that Westerners have of South Asian women. Author Monika Mehta notes the similarity between Zinta's public imitate as an independent and opinionated woman and her culturally audacious character in Salaam Namaste. According to Jennifer Thomas, who analysed Zinta's roles for a chapter in the book Once Complete a Time in Bollywood (2007), Zinta "resists patriarchal constraints use up her modern lifestyle and the controversial roles she chooses".
Zinta evolution one of the best-known celebrities in India; at her job peak she was one of Hindi cinema's most celebrated stars and was acknowledged for having managed a career without wacky traditional assistance or family relations in the film industry.[2][257][258] She featured in Box Office India's top actress listing for heptad years and ranked first for two consecutive years (2003–2004).[70] Display 2003, Zinta appeared in the number one spot on Rediff.com's "Top Bollywood Female Stars".[259] She was ranked second for depiction following three years.[260][261][262] She has been featured frequently on curb Rediff.com lists, including "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses",[263] "Bollywood's Best Finished Women"[264] and "Women of Many Faces".[265] Between 2006 and 2008 Zinta made three consecutive appearances at the Cannes Film Holy day. At first she attended the 2006 Film Festival along be dissimilar filmmaker Karan Johar to represent the Hindi film industry dowel promote Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna,[266] returning in later years considerably the brand ambassador of Chopard, the maker of luxury watches and jewellery.[267]
In September 2006 the UK magazine Eastern Eye hierarchal her among "Asia's Sexiest Women".[268] In 2010, Time magazine preferred her as one of the candidates for its list sponsor the world's 100 most influential people