User:Blofeld of SPECTRE/Indian film

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Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka
Directed by J. Om Prakash
Produced by Raj Bhatija, K.K. Talwar
Written by [[]]
Starring Rajesh Khanna, Zeenat Aman
Music by Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar
Distributed by [[]]
Release date(s) 1977
Country Flag of India India
Language Hindi
IMDb profile

Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka is a 1977 Indian Bollywood romance film drama directed by J. Om Prakash.

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[edit] Cast


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Preity Zinta
प्रीति ज़िंटा
Born January 31, 1975 (1975-01-31) (age 33)
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
Occupation Actress
Years active Since 1998
Spouse(s) None
[PreityZinta.Com Official website]

Preity Zinta (Hindi: प्रीति ज़िंटा. Pronunciation: /priːt̪ɪ zɪɳʈaː/ born January 31, 1975)[1] is an Indian film actress who has appeared in Hindi, Telugu and English movies. A criminal psychology graduate, Zinta made her acting debut in Mani Ratnam's Dil Se in 1998, followed by Soldier in the same year. She won a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award for both films, and was later recognized for her performance as a teenage single mother in Kundan Shah's movie Kya Kehna. She went on to demonstrate her versatility as an actress by portraying a variety of unique characters, each distinct from typical roles played by Indian actresses then, introducing a new image of leading female figure in Hindi film.[2][3]

Zinta received her first Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance in Kal Ho Naa Ho in 2003. She played the lead female role in two consecutive top-grossing films—the science fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya, which is her biggest commercial success to date,[4] and the musical romance Veer-Zaara, which earned her critical acclaim. She was later recognized for her portrayal of an independent, modern Indian woman in Salaam Namaste and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, overseas top grossers.[5] Zinta thus established herself a prominent leading actress of contemporary Hindi cinema.[6]

In addition to being an actress, Zinta is a columnist, having written several columns for BBC News Online South Asia, and an active stage performer. She is known in the Indian media for publicly speaking her mind and openly expressing her opinions, occasionally surrounding herself with controversy.[7]

[edit] Early life and background

Born on January 31, 1975 in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, Zinta hails from a Hindu Rajput family of Rohru in Shimla district.[8] Her father, Durganand Zinta was an officer in the Indian Army. Durganand Zinta died when Preity was 13 in a car accident which also involved her mother, Nilprabha Zinta. Her mother survived, but was severely injured and consequently bedridden for two years.[9] Zinta has two brothers, Deepankar Zinta and Manish Zinta, a year older and a year younger, respectively. Deepankar is a commissioned officer in the Indian Army, while Manish is settled in Los Angeles.[10]

Zinta, a self-cofessed tomboy earlier in life, was influenced primarily by her father.[8] She studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary boarding school in Delhi, and returned home only on vacations, later commenting in an interview with The Times of India, "But I didn't regret spending time away from them because I had a perfect set of friends."[10] As a student she exhibited a love of literature, particularly William Shakespeare and poetry, which led to her later taking admission in St Bede's College in Shimla, opting for English Honours.[10] Although she tried writing poetry herself, she commented on it, "I soon realised what I wrote was rubbish. So I put all my literary pursuits in a drawer, and gave up the idea of ever becoming a poet."[10] Apart from that, Zinta was specialized in sports, and regularly played basketball.[8] Zinta describes her father's death as one of her most terrible experiences: "I can never forget the scene with my brothers all crying. I felt so lost and helpless then. I did not know what to do."[8] According to her, it was a significant turning point in her life, as she was forced to grow up.[9]

Zinta completed school at the age of 18 and enrolled at the University of Mumbai.[9] She initially planned to study for an English honours major, but later decided to pursue psychology. Although she earned a degree in criminal psychology at the St Bede's College in Shimla, Zinta later took up modeling.[9]

Zinta's first advertisement for Perk chocolates happened in 1996 when she met an ad-director at a friend's birthday party. The director informed her that he had written an ad script which would be ideal for her, and insisted that she attend the audition. According to Zinta, "I was apprehensive, I thought what harm could come from just auditioning — there would be five people there and why would anybody pick me? Only, instead of five, there were fifty, and I got selected after saying just two lines with the chocolate in hand." She later appeared in several catalogs and other commercials, such as that of Liril.[9]

[edit] Film career

[edit] Early career (1998-2000)

In 1997, Zinta met director and producer Shekhar Kapur when she accompanied a friend to an audition and was asked to audition, too. After seeing her audition, Kapur insisted that she become an actress. Zinta was originally scheduled to make her screen debut in Kapur's Tara Rum Pum Pum opposite Hrithik Roshan, but the filming was canceled; Kapur later recommended her for director Mani Ratnam's Dil Se.[9]

Zinta started shooting for Kundan Shah's Kya Kehna, but its release was delayed until 2000.[11] The delay of another film, Soldier, meant that her first release was Dil Se (1998) opposite Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. Her portrayal of a middle class Delhi girl was appreciated, earning her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award nomination.[11] She then played her first leading role in the action drama Soldier, which was one of the biggest hits of the year.[12] Dil Se and Soldier were considered her breakthrough roles and she won the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award for her performances in both films.[13]

Zinta then acted in two Telugu films, Premante Idera (1998) opposite Venkatesh, and Raja Kumarudu (1999) opposite Mahesh Babu. This was followed in 1999 by Tanuja Chandra's female-oriented thriller Sangharsh, co-starring alongside Akshay Kumar. The film was not a box office success, although Zinta's performance as a CBI officer, a woman of strong convictions, was critically acclaimed. Film critic Anish Khanna of the site Planet Bollywood noted, "Preity Zinta proves with Sangharsh that she is capable of much, much, much more than the typical song and dance roles usually played to death by other actresses in her age bracket."[14]

[edit] Breakthrough (2000–2002)

Zinta's first release in 2000 was the delayed drama film Kya Kehna which was not expected to make an impact at the box office,[14] but turned out to be the surprise hit of the year.[15] The film was known for taking on the socially controversial themes of single parenthood and teenage pregnancy. The film gained Zinta wider recognition as an actress both from the audience and from film critics.[14] Her portrayal of a teenage single mother who tries to fight societal prejudice earned her a number of nominations, including her first nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare.[16] [[Image:ZintaKya Kehnazinta.jpg|thumb|right|Zinta as the teenage single mother Priya Bakshi in Kya Kehna (2000), her breakthrough role]]

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 movie follows the life and tragedy of a young boy named Altaaf, who later gets into a constant rivalry with his father. Despite its violent topic of terrorism and crime, the film was the year's third highest grosser.[15] Zinta played the role of Sufiya Parvez, a TV reporter and Aaltaf's childhood love; her performance was well received with some critics noting her maturity as an actress at such a young age."[17]

In 2001 she starred alongside Aamir Khan in Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai, a contemporary romance which depicts the modern routine life of Indian youth, with Zinta playing a young lady, Shalini. The film won a National Film Award, and was among the top five highest grossing films of the year, yet its eventual box office verdict was only average.[18]

Three more 2001 releases featured Zinta, but she was mainly recognized for 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 (see below). The film was one of the first Bollywood movies to handle the taboo issue of surrogate childbirth.[19] Zinta performed the supporting role of Madhubala, a prostitute who is hired as a surrogate mother. Her performance in the film earned her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Filmfare. Rediff.com commented on the believability of her character portrayal, and transformation from a cocky and unabashed prostitute into a warm and sensitive person.[20]

She was soon recognized for her versatility as an actress, regarded for enacting distinct kinds of characters.[2] Variety magazine described her as "the most interesting young actress of her generation."[21] Roles such as the CBI officer in Sangharsh, the teenage single mother in Kya Kehna and the prostitute turned surrogate mother in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke not only raised awareness of social issues, but were distinct from typical roles played by Indian actresses at that time, and established a new dynamic for a leading actress in Bollywood film.[3][22]

In 2002, Zinta collaborated once again with director Kundan Shah, playing the main protagonist in his family drama Dil Hai Tumhaara, co-starring Rekha, Mahima Chaudhary and Arjun Rampal. The film marked an important milestone in Zinta's career.[23] Although it failed to do well at the box office, her portrayal of Shalu, an adopted daughter craving love, was appreciated by critics and earned her positive reviews. Critics such as Taran Adarsh from indiaFM.com showed significant approval of her performance, particularly the scenes with Rekha in the second half and Alok Nath in the pre-climax to the film. He said of Zinta's portrayal "Here's a performance that is sure to win accolades from the junta and critics whole-heartedly."[23] Other critics commented on Zinta's flexibility in her manner of acting and ability to switch from one facial expression to another."[24]

[edit] Success (2003 onward)

Zinta was the female lead in three of 2003's highest grossing films—The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, Koi... Mil Gaya and Kal Ho Naa Ho.[25] As of 2007, The Hero is the most expensive Hindi film ever made, costing around Rs 550 million but it did not recover its costs at the box office.[26] Koi... Mil Gaya was the biggest hit of the year as well as Zinta's highest grossing movie with a domestic gross of Rs 430 million. Kal Ho Naa Ho was an international success, earning over Rs 600 million worldwide.[5]

In that same year, she starred in Honey Irani's directional debut, Armaan, alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. The drama, set in a hospital, deals with the trials and tribulations among its personnel and its principal Dr. Akash, who is desperate to sustain the hospital financially. Zinta played Akash's schizophrenic wife, Sonia Kapoor, and received positive notices for her performance, as well as nominations for Best Villain at different award ceremonies.

Zinta as the Indian-American Naina Catherine Kapur in Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), which earned the actress her first Filmfare Best Actress Award. Pictured with Shahrukh Khan
Zinta as the Indian-American Naina Catherine Kapur in Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), which earned the actress her first Filmfare Best Actress Award. Pictured with Shahrukh Khan

Zinta's most notable film of the above-mentioned was Kal Ho Naa Ho, a tearjerker directed by Nikhil Advani and written by Karan Johar, co-starring Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan. The film was India's second biggest hit after Koi... Mil Gaya and the biggest Indian hit of the year overseas.[5] She played the role of Naina Catherine Kapur, an insecure and angry Indian-American girl, who falls in love with a guy who has a heart disease. Her performance won many awards, including the Filmfare Best Actress Award. Akash Gandhi from Planet-Bollywood proclaimed, "Preity Zinta has given her best performance as an actress. It’s amazing to see how much energy and talent is given in creating her character, Naina."[27]

In 2004 she starred as the TV journalist Romila Dutta in Farhan Akhtar's war drama Lakshya, co-starring Hrithik Roshan. Despite being the fourth-highest grossing film of the year, the film failed to do well at the box office.[28] The film was based on the historical events of the 1999 Kargil Conflict, and Zinta's character, which was modeled after the TV journalist Barkha Dutt, the only female reporter covering the events. She received mixed reviews; Rediff.com wrote about her, "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."[29]

Later that year, Yash Chopra chose her for the lead female role of Zaara in the love legend Veer-Zaara opposite Shahrukh Khan, which was the biggest hit of that year in both India and abroad, earning over Rs 750 million worldwide.[5] The film, which relates the love story of an Indian officer and a Pakistani woman, received a significant reception worldwide,[30] and Zinta's portrayal of a Pakistani girl, was praised. She received her fourth nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare, and won her second Stardust Star of the Year Award for the second consecutive year. Veer-Zaara was Zinta's second highest grossing film and third major hit in two consecutive years, and marked her entry into Yash Raj Films, one of the biggest production houses in Bollywood, which helped consolidate her status in the industry.[31]

In 2005, which saw her appear in two movies, her first release was the folk comedy Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen, co-starring alongside Govinda, a production which had been delayed since 2002. The film received negative reviews and poor winnings at the box office. Zinta's role was small, and was not well received, with one critic writing "Preity Zinta has got little scope and hence she could not make any impact."[32]

Her next release was Siddharth Anand's comedy-drama Salaam Namaste, co-starring Saif Ali Khan. The film was another Yash Raj big budget film and went on to become the year's biggest hit overseas, with revenue of Rs 430 million internationally.[5] It is the story of two Indians who live together without marriage. Zinta played the female protagonist Ambar, a single modern young woman who leaves India to make her own life in Australia. The film was well received by critics, and Zinta's performance earned her nominations for Best Actress at a number of award ceremonies. [[Image:PreityZintakank.jpg|thumb|left|Zinta as a fashion magazine editor Rhea Saran in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006)]] Zinta received further success in 2006, starring in Karan Johar's drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna along with an all star cast that included Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Rani Mukerji. The film became one of the biggest box office hits in India, earning Rs 464 million, and grossed over Rs 445 million overseas, the biggest Bollywood hit in the overseas market ever, which simultaneously became her fourth overseas top earner in four consecutive years.[5] The film tells the story of two unhappily married couples in New York, and a resulting extramarital affair. Zinta played the role of Rhea Saran, a stylish and modern fashion magazine editor and her performance was appreciated by critics. One critic noted her dedication to her role shows at vital points in the film and complimented the penultimate scene with Rani Mukerji, when she confronts her at the marriage reception[33] She then starred in Shirish Kunder's romantic musical Jaan-E-Mann, a story of two guys in the US loving the same girl, co-starring Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar. The film received positive reviews from critics, yet performed poorly at the box office.[34] Zinta played the role of Piya, the cynosure of two men. Although she had a small role and an underdeveloped character, she was generally praised for her performance. One critic noted the emotional variety and juxtaposition often apparent in her character, at times appearing very happy or assuring and others sombrem inhibited and unsure.[35]

In 2007 Zinta portrayed the character of a British Pakistani young woman, Alvira Khan, in her third Yash Raj Film, Shaad Ali's comedy Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, alongside Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol and Lara Dutta. Although much anticipated, the film was a critical and commercial failure in India. The film did better overseas, especially in the UK.[36] She received mixed reviews from one extreme to the other; Ashok Nayak praised her, " The chemistry between Abhishek Bachchan and Preity is mind blowing. She is equally competent and gives a commendable performance."[37] On the other hand, The Times of India criticized her, saying that "she is too plastic as the Paki-Brit girl".[38]

Later in 2007, Zinta began working more with art film directors, and turned towards neo-realistic cinemas, known in India as parallel cinema, rather than mainly working on commercial cinema.[39] She starred in her first English film, Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear, as a struggling theatre actress opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The film premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, and was widely received earning many accolades when it was showcased at a Gala Presentation. The first reviews were positive, with one critic writing "It's great to see her doing a completely natural role. She played her role with real dignity and it was a pleasure seeing her getting back to her initial style of acting".[40] On her first art film, Zinta said "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".[41] As of October 2007, she is set to star in Jahnu Barua's forthcoming film Har Pall.

[edit] Other work

[edit] Columnist

In 2004, Zinta became a columnist. She joined a line up of South Asia's commentators including Ahmed Rashid and Kaushik Basu, writing several columns for BBC News Online.[42] She expressed her joy at participating in this 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."

Her first column, "The changing face of Bollywood'", published in January 2004,[43] discussed the progression of Bollywood and how it has evolved in the last decade. The column was one of the site's top 10 most widely read stories on the day.[44]

In her second column, "Odds stacked against Indian women", Zinta scathed the eve teasing phenomenon in India, and criticised eve-teasers overall.[45] She wrote, "Incidences like these take away a woman's dignity, her space and her freedom. Sometimes I wonder why some men behave like barbarians. And 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?" Her complaints caught the worldwide attention of readers, and thousands of e-mails were addressed to her from across the globe. She was applauded by women across India and abroad for her brave stand against abuse of Indian women.[46]

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.[47] She wrote, "I used to joke with my director of photography on sets and say 'If the world is a stage, I need better lighting'. But later I realised that when the lights go off there is only darkness around an actor and it is that darkness all actors fear. Dear God please give me the strength to find my way out of the darkness when the lights are no more on me." Her fourth and last column titled "Facing death in Sri Lanka and Thailand" was published in 2005. In this column, she described her two near escapes from death in late 2004 (see below).[48]

[edit] Stage performances

Zinta is an active stage performer, and 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 September 11, 2001 attacks, and the team was willing to return to India as soon as possible. However, the shows continued in Canada and went on to do well.[49]

In 2002 Zinta took part in the world tour From India With Love in the UK, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. The show was performed in two outdoor extravaganzas at Manchester’s Old Trafford Football Stadium and London’s Hyde Park, with over over 100,000 spectators.[50]

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 concert. The show, which was showcased in over 19 countries around the world, became the most prominent internationally for Bollywood concerts.[51] In 2006, Zinta toured again, participating and performing in the successful Heat 2006 concert around the world, along with Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.[52]

[edit] Humanitarian work

Image:Zinta4.jpg
Zinta at the Premium charity function

In 2004, Zinta travelled to Singapore for the year's International Indian Film Academy Awards ceremony, which was held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. She participated in the events including a charity football match at the Jalan Besar Stadium.[53] In 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, she performed at the HELP! Telethon Concert to help raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[54]

In July 2006, Zinta attended a blood donation camp organised by the Rotary Club of Delhi in association with Godfrey Philips Bravery Awards, lending her support to the cause of women empowerment,[55] and promoting the humanitarian cause of donating blood, saying "Donating blood doesn't kill one but goes on to save somebody's life. Blood donation also creates a universal world. 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".[55]

In 2007, Zinta along with Rani Mukerji, donated Rs 25 lakhs of her winnings from Kaun Banega Crorepati to the Shimla District Red Cross Society in Himachel Pradesh.[56] In January 2007, Zinta visited Hisar, Haryana, and spent a day at the army training base to boost the morale of the jawans, and experience the kind of life that they lead. The visit was conducted for an NDTV show, Jai Jawan, where entertainers and actors visit Indian troops along with the NDTV team to encourage them. Zinta also met children with differing levels of ability at the Asha School, and shared a reunion with her elder brother, Deepankar, who is serving in the Army.[57] In August of that year Zinta, along with Mumbai-based artist Gurcharan Singh, painted for the cause of street children for the non-governmental organization Khushi. She painted a dog in flaming red and named the work Circle of Life. She said, "I am sure this piece of art will win many little hearts and make a difference to the lives of street children. After all, we are all a part of the circle of life."[58]

[edit] Personal life

In 2000 Zinta began dating model Marc Robinson. They separated one year later, and according to Zinta, they remained on good terms. After their break-up, Zinta said in an interview, "We aren't seeing each other anymore, but I have very, very fond memories of the times we were together and I'd like to keep it to that."[59]

Previously, when not busy shooting, she used to return to her native town Shimla. In 2006, Zinta moved into her own home in Mumbai.[60] Zinta identifies herself as not of a very religious nature. During an interview with The Times of India, she commented, "But 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. And increasingly I am starting to believe that faith is what we call God. We have heard and read that all religions are equal. Now I am increasingly believing in this."[61] Zinta narrowly escaped death twice in late 2004. The first occurred after an explosion at a Temptation concert in Colombo, Sri Lanka; the second occurred during the Indian Ocean earthquake.[62]

During her years in the Indian film industry, Zinta has been the subject of media speculation and numerous controversies, which put her among the most controversial celebrities in Bollywood.[63] In 2003, Zinta was a witness in the Bharat Shah case and his links to the Indian Underworld. Bharat Shah was the financer for the 2000 film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, in which Zinta starred. In 2000, Shah and the producer of the film, Nazim Rizvi, were arrested for having connections with Chhota Shakeel, a Mumbai underworld boss.[64] Unlike several of her colleagues, Zinta stuck by her earliest statement in the court. She informed the court that she had received threatening phone calls from the mafia, attempting to extort money from her while shooting the film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, who told her that she would have to bear the consequences if she did not pay up. Zinta testified that she had confided in Nazim Rizvi about the threatening incident: "He told me not to worry and that everything would be alright. He gave me his cell phone number and told me to call him if I have any further problems."[65] After that, she was given police protection and was forced to stay out of the public eye for two months.[66] Thirteen other witnesses before her, including celebrities Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, were witnesses in the case but they soon retracted their statements.[67] Zinta was the only witness not to have turned hostile, and her courage to testify was appreciated by the nation.[68] Consequently, she was a special recipient of the annual Red and White bravery awards, for the "Courageous Act" of standing against the Mumbai Underworld.[68] On receiving the award, Zinta 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".[69]

Image:PreityZintawithNess.jpg
Zinta with boyfriend Ness Wadia at the 51st Filmfare Awards (2006)

In February 2005, Zinta began dating the Bombay Dyeing heir, businessman Ness Wadia.[70] Their relationship is widely reported in the media and is often subject to speculation in the press of a possible engagement.[71] Initially there was some press coverage that Ness' mother Maureen Wadia was displeased with the relationship, but she put rumours to rest in an interview saying: "I'm delighted at my son's choice".[72] The tabloids have often linked Zinta with other Bollywood stars, but she has strongly denied these rumours.[73]

In December 2006, Ness Wadia was reported to have attacked several construction workers at Zinta's residence in Bandra; reportedly, a woman was critically injured and a child was hurt.[74] Zinta reacted angrily at hearing these rumours on a news channel, declaring strongly it was not true.[74] Zinta lectured the press on how they should conduct themselves, "Please do your homework before you report anything to the nation. You cannot target me and my boyfriend just because I am a film star."[74] She challenged the press and offered Rs 1 million to whoever could find an injured woman. The press found nothing and the rumour was considered to be false.[74]

In March 2007, there was an alleged crisis in Zinta's relationship with Wadia when actress and singer Suchitra Krishnamurthy cited Zinta as the cause of her divorce with Shekhar Kapur, alleging that Preity was having an affair with her husband.[75] Initially Zinta kept silent and refused to talk about the issue.[75] When Krishnamurthy accused Zinta for the second time in an interview, Zinta was on vacation and learned of the new allegation through her business manager Tanuja Mehra.[75] Zinta denied the accusations saying, "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."[75] She issued a statement that she had met Kapur only five times in 10 years and demanded that he step into the picture and clear her name from this controversy.[76] In regard to Krishnamurthy, Zinta said, "Everyone who is a nobody wants to be somebody at the expense of famous people like me." Since then, this controversy has come to an end.[77]

[edit] In the media

Zinta is particularly known in the Indian media for her straightforwardness and honestly expressing her outspoken views and forthright opinions in public, be it about her on-screen or off-screen life or raising a voice against any social injustice.[7] These features were widely noticed in her controversies, especially in the Bharat Shah Case, when she testified against the underworld and after this incident, she was described by journalists as "The only man in Bollywood".[3] [3] She has a characteristic dimple which is often cited by the media as her trademark, and have often described her as having a viviacious personality and outgoing persona, an image she has confessed to dislike.[66]


In 2003, Zinta was placed number one on Rediff's "Top Bollywood Female Stars".[78] In the following years, she was ranked second for three consecutive years (2004–06).[79] Apart from that, Zinta has been frequently featured in different lists by Rediff including "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses",[80] "Bollywood's Best Dressed Women"[81] and "Woman of Many Faces".[82] In September 2006, she was ranked at number 41 by the UK magazine Eastern Eye as one of "Asia's Sexiest Women".[83] Zinta is the first Indian actress to be featured on the cover of the first issue of the Marie Claire magazine to be sold in India.[84]

Zinta has made three appearances on the Indian talk show Koffee with Karan, hosted by Karan Johar. Her first appearance was in 2004 with Saif Ali Khan, and the second appearance was in March 2005, along with Abhishek Bachchan. The episode with the latter was the highest viewed episode of season one.[85]

On July 15, 2005, Zinta filed a defamation case against leading Mumbai tabloid Mid-Day after tapes emerged alleging that Salman Khan had made derogatory comments about her. The tabloid published the part of the tape which concerned Zinta, indicating that Zinta had a sexual relationship with the actor.[86] She was cross-examined as a chief witness in January 2007,[86] later appearing in court for the hearing which took place on March 22, 2007. Zinta said on the issue "I felt humiliated as it spoiled my reputation and character in public". She explained that she had received disparaging phone calls from imposters stating that they were Salman Khan, and that she had been repeatedly questioned in a deragatory fashion by the media regarding this issue.[87] Zinta stated that it not only affected her personally but professionally; according to her, a planned future film with Salman Khan was abandoned. The tape was tested in the Government's Forensic laboratory in Chandigarh, which concluded that it was a fake, although the case is on-going.[88]

Image:Zintagoair.jpg
Zinta as the first brand ambassador for GoAir. Pictured with airline owner, Jeh Wadia from Wadia Group

In 2006, Zinta made her third appearance in season two of Koffee with Karan with Bobby Deol and was a guest judge in the singing talent contest Indian Idol 2.[89] She once again performed in her earlier occupation as a model, when she modeled and walked the ramp for Manish Malhotra's fashion display Fashion Week 2006, titled Freedom, along with actress Kajol.[90] Later that year, Zinta and filmmaker Karan Johar received an invitation to represent Bollywood at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, taking the opportunity to promote Johar's then forthcoming film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, which had Zinta in one of the leading roles.[91]

2007 was a year of diverse media appearances for Zinta. She returned to the 60th annual Cannes Film Festival in May to attend the premiere of My Blueberry Nights, which opened the festival.[92] She co-hosted the 52nd Filmfare Awards ceremony, alongside Shahrukh Khan, Karan Johar and Juhi Chawla[93] and was chosen as the first brand ambassador for GoAir, a new Airway service. The airline owner, Jeh Wadia from Wadia Group, is Ness Wadia's younger brother and Zinta was quick to deny any speculation that it was a family-related publicity stunt. She declared that Ness has no relation to her participation in the airline's publicity and that: "I did it because I truly think it's a fantastic airline with really low fares" said Zinta.[94] She was later the guest of honour in an art event called Spandan 2 which was conducted at Mumbai's art gallery Articulate.[95]

[edit] Filmography

Year Film Role Other notes
1998 Dil Se Preeti Nair Winner, Filmfare Best Female Debut Award
Dubbed into Tamil as Uyire
Dubbed into Telugu as Prema Tho
Soldier Preeti Singh
Premante Idera Jaanu Telugu film
Dubbed into Hindi as Dulhan Dilwale Ki
1999 Raja Kumarudu Rani Telugu film
Dubbed into Hindi as Prince No. 1
Sangharsh CBI Officer Reet Oberoi
Dillagi Rani Guest Appearance
2000 Kya Kehna Priya Baxi Nomination, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega Jahnvi
Mission Kashmir Sufiya Parvez
2001 Farz Kajal Singh
Chori Chori Chupke Chupke Madhubala (Madhu) Nomination, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Dil Chahta Hai Shalini
Yeh Raaste Hain
Pyaar Ke		 Sakshi
2002 Dil Hai Tumhaara Shalu
2003 The Hero: Love Story of a Spy Reshma/Ruksar
Armaan Sonia Kapoor Nomination, Filmfare Best Villain Award.
Koi... Mil Gaya Nisha Nomination, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Kal Ho Naa Ho Naina Catherine Kapur Winner, Filmfare Best Actress Award
2004 Lakshya Romila Dutta
Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa Dr. Parineeta (Pari)
Veer-Zaara Zaara Hayat Khan Nomination, Filmfare Best Actress Award
2005 Khullam Khulla Pyaar
Karen		 Priti
Salaam Namaste Ambar 'Amby' Malhotra Nomination, Filmfare Best Actress Award
2006 Alag Special Appearance in song Sabse Alag
Krrish Nisha Special Appearance
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna Rhea Saran Nomination, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Jaan-E-Mann Piya Goyal
2007 Jhoom Barabar Jhoom Alvira Khan
The Last Lear Shabnam Post-production
First English language film
Om Shanti Om Herself Special appearance in song Deewangi Deewangi
2008 Mera Bharat Mahaan Releasing on January 25, 2008
Har Pall Filming
Suryamukhi Suryamukhi Announced
Heaven on Earth Chand Announced[96]

[edit] Awards and honors

Main article: List of Preity Zinta's awards and nominations
Awards
Filmfare Awards
Preceded by
Mahima Chaudhary
for Pardes		 Best Female Debut
for Dil Se
1999		 Succeeded by
TBD
Preceded by
Aishwarya Rai
for Devdas		 Best Actress
for Kal Ho Naa Ho
2004		 Succeeded by
Rani Mukerji
for Hum Tum

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Down the Memory Lane: Preity's 7th birthday party. IndiaFM News Bureau (January 31, 2006). Retrieved on December 19, 2006.
  2. ^ a b Preity - The Perky Miss!. MSN. Retrieved on September 13, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d Now showing CHAKDE! - Fiesty foot forward. cities.expressindia.com (August 14, 2007). Retrieved on September 14, 2007.
  4. ^ Most Grossing Movies by actresses. IBOS. Retrieved on April 10, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Overseas Gross Figures in India Rs. BoxOfficeIndia.Com. Retrieved on August 30, 2006.
  6. ^ a b Priety cuts another birthday cake. Indian Cinemas (January 31, 2007). Accessdate September 23, 2007
    Mukherjee Madhureeta (October 17, 2006). Preity manages traffic on the road!. The Times of India. Accessdate November 4, 2007.
  7. ^ a b c d Khubchandani, Lata (May 4, 2006). My Fundays - Preity Zinta. The Telegraph. Retrieved on May 7, 2007.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Actress of the Week. AskMen.com. Retrieved on July 19, 2006.
  9. ^ a b c d Sharma, Mandvi (June 24, 2006). 'I would've been the PM'. The Times of India. Retrieved on June 24, 2006.
  10. ^ a b Chopra, Anupama. Sassy Sirens. The India Today Group. Retrieved on January 1, 2007.
  11. ^ Box Office Results 1998. BoxOfficeIndia.Com. Retrieved on January 1, 2007.
  12. ^ The Winners - 1998. indiatimes. Retrieved on January 1, 2007.
  13. ^ a b c Film personalities - Preity Zinta. Lakes paradise. Retrieved on March 27, 2007.
  14. ^ a b Box Office results - 2000. BoxOfficeIndia.Com. Retrieved on January 1, 2007.
  15. ^ Awards for Kya Kehna (2000). IMDb. Retrieved on January 27, 2007.
  16. ^ Deoshi, Naresh Kumar. 'Mission Kashmir' Seeks the paradise being lost. ApunKaChoice.Com. Retrieved on September 12, 2007.
  17. ^ Box office results - 2001. BoxOfficeIndia.Com. Retrieved on April 10, 2007.
  18. ^ Adarsh, Taran (March 8, 2001). Film Review - Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. indiaFM. Retrieved on October 4, 2007.
  19. ^ Verma, Sukanya (March 9, 2001). Preity Trite. Rediff.com. Retrieved on September 12, 2007.
  20. ^ Elley, Derek (December 6, 2004). New Int'l. Release Veer-Zaara. Variety.com. Retrieved on October 21, 2007.
  21. ^ Khanna, Anish (September 3, 1999). Sangharsh - Movie review. Planet Bollywood. Retrieved on September 12, 2007.
  22. ^ a b Adarsh, Taran. Dil Hai Tumhara movie review. indiaFM.com. Retrieved on October 24, 2007.
  23. ^ Dil Hai Tumhara review. ApunKaChoice.Com (2002). Retrieved on September 25, 2007.
  24. ^ Box office results - 2003. BoxOfficeIndia.Com. Retrieved on October 29, 2006.
  25. ^ Trivia for The Hero: Love Story of a Spy. IMDb. Retrieved on April 19, 2007.
  26. ^ Gandhi, Akash (November 27, 2003). Film reviews - Kal Ho Naa Ho. Planet Bollywood. Retrieved on September 5, 2007.
  27. ^ Box Office Results Top Grosses by 2004. IBOS Network. Retrieved on April 10, 2007.
  28. ^ Pai, Rajeev (June 18, 2004). Watch Lakshya. You won't be disappointed. Rediff.com. Retrieved on November 6, 2007.
  29. ^ Yash Chopra On Berlin Film Festival Jury. YashRajFilms.com (January 18, 2006). Retrieved on October 17, 2007.
  30. ^ Top actresses. BoxOfficeIndia.com. Retrieved on March 22, 2007.
  31. ^ Movie Review: Khullam Khulla Pyar Karen. HindiSong.com (April 29, 2001). Retrieved on March 22, 2007.
  32. ^ Adarsh, Taran (August 9, 2006). Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna Review. indiaFM. Retrieved on May 7, 2007.
  33. ^ Box office results - 2006. BoxOfficeIndia.com. Retrieved on November 16, 2006.
  34. ^ Deoshi, N K (October 21, 2006). Jaanemann : Movie Review. ApunKaChoice.Com. Retrieved on September 15, 2007.
  35. ^ Abid (June 19, 2007). Jhoom Barabar Jhoom has mixed overseas outcome. OneIndia. Retrieved on July 14, 2007.
  36. ^ Nayak, Ashok (June 15, 2007). Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. nowrunning.com. Retrieved on September 14, 2007.
  37. ^ Kazmi, Nikhat (June 16, 2007). Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. The Times of India. Retrieved on September 14, 2007.
  38. ^ Bollyvista correspondent (July 10, 2007). Preity Zinta turns artsy. Bollyvista.com. Retrieved on July 24, 2007.
  39. ^ This is Amitabh's best performance after Black (September 11, 2007). Retrieved on September 13, 2007.
  40. ^ Yelajam Prithi (September 10, 2007). India's top stars not afraid to take risks. TheStar.com. Retrieved on September 30, 2007.
  41. ^ Actor Preity Zinta to pen column for BBC website. indiantelevision.com. Retrieved on November 4, 2007.
  42. ^ Zinta, Preity (January 29, 2004). The changing face of Bollywood. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on September 12, 2007.
  43. ^ Preity Zinta's column for BBC website gets overwhelming response. Indiantelevision.com (February 5, 2004). Retrieved on September 12, 2007.
  44. ^ Zinta, Preity (April 1, 2004). 'Odds stacked against Indian women'. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on March 2, 2005.
  45. ^ Preity Zinta attacks eve teasers in the BBC column. indiantelevision.com (April 20, 2004). Retrieved on September 12, 2007.
  46. ^ Zinta,Preity (June 22, 2004). The darkness that all actors fear. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on September 12, 2007.
  47. ^ Zinta, Preity (February 28, 2005). Facing death in Sri Lanka and Thailand. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on April 16, 2006.
  48. ^ Whispers - Tour stop. Indiatimes (November 2001). Retrieved on July 24, 2007.
  49. ^ From India with Love. AsianOutlook.com (30 April 2002). Retrieved on July 24, 2007.
  50. ^ Bollywood's Day Out.... Times of India (December 2, 2004). Retrieved on November 2, 2007.
  51. ^ Akshay Kumar & Preity Zinta in Bollywood New York Shows for Aron Govil Productions. Business Wire India (March 10, 2006). Retrieved on March 16, 2007.
  52. ^ Bollywood stars play soccer. The Times of India (May 22, 2004). Retrieved on September 27, 2007.
  53. ^ Bollywood unites to present caring face. The Telegraph (February 08, 2005). Retrieved on February 21, 2005.
  54. ^ a b Indo Asian News Service (July 28, 2006). Blood donation creates universal world: Preity Zinta. Yahoo Web Services India Pvt Ltd.. Retrieved on November 4, 2007.
  55. ^ Rani and Preity give away donations. Hindustan Times. Retrieved on March 5, 2007.
  56. ^ Mohammed, Khalid (January 26, 2007). Preity reunited with Army brother. Rediff.com. Retrieved on September 29, 2007.
  57. ^ A. Khan, Rubina (August 24, 2007). Preity artistic!. The Times of India. Retrieved on September 27, 2007.
  58. ^ Pillai, Jitesh (April 2001). Freedom at midnight...Preity Zinta. indiatimes. Retrieved on October 4, 2007.
  59. ^ Preity Zinta Up Close And Personal. FemaleFirst.co.uk (February 11, 2006). Retrieved on July 19, 2006.
  60. ^ Afsana, Ahmad (September 25, 2007). Ganpati Bappa Morya:Preity. The Times of India. Retrieved on October 23, 2007.
  61. ^ “It feels good to be alive” - Preity Zinta (February 18, 2005). Retrieved on June 2, 2006.
  62. ^ 'I'm controversy's favourite child'. indiainfo.com (June 9, 2007). Retrieved on November 5, 2007.
  63. ^ Philp, Catherine (January 11, 2003). Bollywood starlet plays brave role in fight against the Mob. The Times. Retrieved on September 15, 2007.
  64. ^ Firdaus Ashraf, Syed (January 9, 2003). Bharat Shah case: Preity Zinta sticks to her stand. Rediff.com. Retrieved on November 29, 2006.
  65. ^ a b I'm sick of my bubbly image: Preity Zinta. Sify (March 17, 2006). Retrieved on November 5, 2007.
  66. ^ Except Preity, everyone turned hostile. Rediff.com (September 30, 2003). Retrieved on November 29, 2006.
  67. ^ a b This Preity woman is brave too. The Times of India (March 13, 2003). Retrieved on July 12, 2007.
  68. ^ Sharma, Mandvi (July 29, 2006). 'Rome wasn't built in a day, neither was I'. The Times of India. Retrieved on August 30, 2007.
  69. ^ Shaikh, Jamal (February 3, 2005). Preity woman's man. The Times of India. Retrieved on May 16, 2007.
  70. ^ K Jha, Subhash (April 11, 2007). Preity all set to marry Ness Wadia. indiatimes. Retrieved on October 4, 2007.
  71. ^ Sadarangani, Anil (December 7, 2005). 'I'm delighted at my son's choice'. The Times of India. Retrieved on May 17, 2007.
  72. ^ Bhandari Pam (July 7, 2004). Abhishek Bachchan and Preity Zinta caught off guard in each other’s arms. India Daily. Retrieved on December 9, 2006.
  73. ^ a b c d IBNlive.com (December 7, 2006). Don't target my boyfriend: Preity. Yahoo.com. Retrieved on July 1, 2007.
  74. ^ a b c d 'Suchitra is unstable'. The Times of India (March 30, 2007). Retrieved on May 22, 2007.
  75. ^ Jha, Subhash K (April 2, 2007). Shekhar, speak up!. The Times of India. Retrieved on May 22 2007.
  76. ^ 'No more rumours please!'. The Times of India (April 17, 2007). Retrieved on May 22, 2007.
  77. ^ The unanimous No 1: Preity Zinta. Rediff.com (2003). Retrieved on April 6, 2007.
  78. ^ Sen, Raja (2004). Best Actress 2004. Rediff.com. retrieved on April 6, 2007
    Kulkarni, Ronjita (2005).Ten best Bollywood actresses of 2005. Rediff.com. Retrieved on April 6, [[2007}}<
    Sen, Raja (September 5, 2006). Readers' Pick: Top Bollywood Actresses. Rediff.com. Retrieved on April 6, 2007
  79. ^ Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses. Rediff.com. Retrieved on April 6, 2007.
  80. ^ Verma, Sukanya (May 9, 2007). Bollywood's best dressed women. Rediff.com. Retrieved on May 20, 2007.
  81. ^ Verma, Sukanya. Women of many faces. Rediff.com. Retrieved on July 6, 2007.
  82. ^ Asia's sexiest women. Rediff.com (September 20, 2006). Retrieved on September 25, 2007.
  83. ^ Launch Of Marie Claire In India. bollyvista.com (June 2, 2006). Retrieved on January 14, 2007.
  84. ^ Pherwani, Seema (April 18, 2005). Indiantelevision.com's Special Report. Indiantelevision.com. Retrieved on January 25, 2007.
  85. ^ a b Kagalwala, Gautam (March 23, 2007). Preity Zinta cross-examined in her defamation case against tabloid. Indiatimes.com. Retrieved on September 20, 2007.
  86. ^ Kelkar, Reshma (March 23, 2007). 'Sach ki hamesha anth main jeet hoti hai' feels Preity. indiaFM. Retrieved on September 20, 2007.
  87. ^ Tribune News Service (July 18, 2005). Police records Salman Khan’s voice, Ash keeps mum. The Tribune. Retrieved on September 20, 2007.
  88. ^ Iqbal Punn, Goher (February 20, 2006). Preity Zinta on Indian Idol 2. indiainfo.com. Retrieved on January 1, 2007.
  89. ^ Diniz, Merril. Malhotra gets his 'Freedom'!. Rediff.com. Retrieved on May 15, 2007.
  90. ^ Ghosh, Aparajita (April 4, 2006). Preity Zinta gets the Cannes invite. ApunKaChoice.Com. Retrieved on June 18, 2006.
  91. ^ Preity goes to Cannes. Rediff.com (May 21, 2007). Retrieved on May 27, 2007.
  92. ^ Event Coverage. The Times of India (February 26, 2007). Retrieved on November 5, 2007.
  93. ^ Jha, K. Subhash (April 24, 2007). Preity endorses Go, but it has nothing to do with Ness. India eNews.com. Retrieved on November 5, 2007.
  94. ^ Kreative Access (April 26, 2007). Preity Zinta highlights Yash and Avanti Birla's Art event. DesiParty.com. Retrieved on May 15, 2007.
  95. ^ Pais, J (September 11, 2007). When Preity was tense about speaking in English!. Rediff.com. Retrieved on September 11, 2007.

(http://www.kreativetravelindia.com)

[edit] Further reading

[edit] External links

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Persondata
NAME Zinta, Preity
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION film actress
DATE OF BIRTH January 31, 1975
PLACE OF BIRTH Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH