‘Superwoman’ Preity shoot Emami Cooking Oil commercial

On the cricket field, they may belong to rival IPL teams but when Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain of Chennai Super Kings) and Preity Zinta (co-owner of Kings XI Punjab) came together for an ad shoot yesterday, all rivalry was forgotten. Mahi and Preity shot a commercial for Emami Cooking Oil and if these pics are anything to go by, the chemistry between them was indeed there for one and all to see. Dhoni was dressed in a Gladiator like avatar, while PZ was given a Super-woman like get-up with a body-hugging silver dress and a red cape to go with.

While the commercial was directed by noted ad-man Prahlad Kakkar, a special photo shoot featuring the duo was done by ace-photographer Dabboo Ratnani. We got in touch with Dabboo and asked him about his experience of this special photo shoot, “It was a great experience shooting with Preity and Dhoni. They first shot for the commercial with Prahlad Kakkar and then did this photo-shoot which we will use in the ad posters. I’ve shot with Preity countless times before, she is very charming and a complete sweetheart to work with. As for Dhoni, this was probably the second or third time that I was doing a shoot with him. He is extremely cool, chilled out and very receptive. He was totally involved in the photo shoot, putting in his 100% effort and was very comfortable in front of the camera. All in all, we had a great time.”

The commercial is likely to go on air in ten days from now when Dhoni’s Men In Blue will be busy taking on the South African cricket team in what promises to be a grueling contest.
Tags: Emami Cooking Oil ,M S Dhoni,Preity zinta,Superwoman,Preity zinta Fan Club,Preity zinta images,Preity zinta wallpapers,Preity zinta photos,Preity zinta sexy ,Preity zinta hot,Preity zinta Ads

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Preity Zinta to star on TV?

After Amitabh Bachchan, SRK, Salman Khan now there are rumors that Preity Zinta is making her debut on television through a show. The show is not a quiz show but it's a sports show which she will be the part of it. She has a penchant for being a bubble head, maybe a sport show is just the kind of place to show her enthusiasm.

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Its Splitsville for Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia?

Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia have apparently called it quits as a couple though they continue to be together in their professional ventures which include ownership of the IPL team Kings XI Punjab. Given the amount of money involved in being a franchisee owner, this is not surprising.
Though Preity and Ness are no longer in a personal relationship, they continue to be professional partners

The facts speak for themselves. At the Filmfare Awards, Preity turned up without Ness. For the IPL press conference they were together (a professional assignment) though not hand in hand as they usually are and again at the recently concluded Fashion Week she came to cheer dear friends Shah Rukh Khan and Manish Malhotra but Ness was nowhere to be seen. While one is not suggesting a couple should be joined at the hip, Preity and Ness usually made a point to attend most dos together.

Interestingly Ness’s mum Maureen Wadia, who is all praise for daughter-in-law Celina (married to Jeh, her elder son), has never publically acknowledged Preity, getting pretty testy when asked about her, often resorting to a ‘no comments’ stand.

The Preity-Ness relationship has been an on-off one for some time now, with periodic rumours of a split. But this time it seems to be serious. And though Preity laughed it off when asked, one understands that when millions of rupees are involved, personal equations have to be put on the backburner.

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Preity Zinta Videsh movie review-movie preview-snapshot

              Videsh

   Tagline : Heaven on Earth
     Release Date : 20 March 2009
     Runing Time : 106 Minutes
     Genre : Drama
      Director : Deepa Mehta
Cast : Preity Zinta, Vansh Bharadwaj, Balinder Johal, Rajinder Singh Cheema, Gourrav Sihan, Geetika Sharma, Ramanjit Kaur
Music Director : Mychael Danna
Story Writer : Deepa Mehta

Synopsis : Chand, a young woman, leaves her home and loving family behind in India to build a new life in Canada. She moves to Brampton, Ontario and marries Rocky, a man she has never met.Rocky is overwhelmed by all the pressures that rest on his shoulders: dealing with his controlling mother and confused father and supporting his sister, her husband and two children who are all crowded into a small house in the suburbs. To make matters worse, he is solely responsible for putting up the money that will allow his extended family to immigrate to Canada. And all of this on a cab drivers salary.Educated and bright, Chand feels trapped in a world she cannot connect with. Estranged and mistreated by her new family, she feels homesick and misses her family in India but cannot reach out to them. Chand enters this life to find that the family is expecting her to become a slave to their needs and her new husbands life pressures wear down his basic decency to the point where Chand becomes the brunt of all of his frustrations.While working in a factory cleaning and pressing hotel napkins, she meets ROSA who sees past the make-up that covers her badly bruised face. Streetwise yet mystical, Rosa gives Chand a magical root that is supposed to bring out the love of the recipient. Chand administers the potion but finds the results of the ministration confusing. Lacking any of the support systems of her family and desperate for somewhere to turn Chand begins to fantasize another version of her life which interlaces an ancient Indian fable about a King Cobra.

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Preity Zinta in Deepa Mehtas Videsh

Preity Zinta would be soon seen in Videsh. No, she isn't going abroad, rather her internationally acclaimed Deepa Mehta film Heaven on Earth's title has been changed to Videsh to suit Indian sensibilities.

Says Sanjay Bhutian, the CEO of BR Films, "We did not want our Indian audiences to misinterpret the title Heaven on Earth to be an English film. Hence we changed the film's name to Videsh as this would connect well with the Indian audiences."

Being produced by BR Films, The film has already made waves in Canada and the leading actress Preity Zinta has even won the best actress award at the Chicago film festival. The film has also earned nomination in 29th Genie Awards.

Tags:preity zinta,deepa mehta,videsh,upcoming movie,best actress award ,chicago film festival,preity zinta fan club

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Preity Zinta Birthday Bash

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I am a law-abiding citizen: Preity

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta is upset over the hue and cry that was created on news channels after the Mumbai police played party pooper at


"I had a party and the police came and put the music off. They also fined me and I paid it on the same night. I also have the receipt for the same. The music did not come up again as mentioned on some sensational channels," the actress, who turned 34 Saturday, said in a press statement.

Slum-dwellers near Preity's flat in Quantum Park building in Bandra here had complained of loud music early Sunday morning and the police ordered her to turn down the volume of the loudspeakers.

Preity was penalised as per the provisions for flouting noise pollution rules. But she is miffed with media for sensationalising the incident.

Journalism is about investigation and reporting the facts. Things like 'I broke the law and no action was taken' on me plus a rich versus poor story on TV channels is upsetting,” Preity said.

“There should be a law against sensational and false news being passed off on news channels as news. I am a law-abiding citizen so please check your facts before putting it on TV,she added.

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Preity Zinta Wants To Support Budding Cricketers

Preity Zinta’s interest in the game of cricket evolved when she actually bought herself a cricket team in the IPL, she owns owns Kings XI Punjab of the Indian Premier League (IPL), now wants to give a chance to budding cricketers at the grassroot level.

Her Kings XI Punjab will be holding a cricket seminar and a small 20-20 tournament in Chandigarh and Mohali where teams from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir will participate.

“My aim is to promote cricket at the grassroot level and to nurture new talent. I also want everyone involved to have fun,” Priety said.

We’re impressed Ms.Zinta!

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Preity Zinta is the sexiest lady in her 30s

30s is the age in which a woman can look truly beautiful, mystical, magical and ripe with beauty. A woman in her 30s has a confident streak in her, there is a definite amount of sensuousness in her personality, there is grace, there is dignity and yes...oodles of sexiness. That is the magic of a woman in her 30s-poised, presentable yet provocative. Speaking of beautiful words with P, the sexiest lady in her 30s also has her name beginning with a 'P'. Let's give a big hand to Preity Zinta, the sexiest woman in her 30s.

Preity zinta : 32 percent votes
Shilpa shetty: 24 percent votes
Aishwarya Rai: 18 percent votes
Rani Mukherjee: 13 percent votes
Tabu: :11 percent votes

Preity Zinta has been a supersuccessful, confident woman in every sense of the word. Like Shahrukh Khan, she exists beyond Bollywood. Preity Zinta has been the co-owner of Kings XII Punjab along with boyfriend Ness Wadia in the IPL cricket series 2008. Preity Zinta also won the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Award, where she testified against the mafia in the Bharat Shah case. The Shimla born dimpled beauty is all of 33 now; Preity Zinta is definitely a sexy lady to whom we can say Salaam Namastey.

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PREITY ZINTA: THE BRAND

preity Zinta along with her entire Mohali team is headed to Bangkok to address a media conference. "I am looking forward to the conference. I want to be the driving force behind my team," she says. Recently a foreign publication named Preity as the most influential businesswoman who owned an entire IPL team. But Preity says that things aren't easy just because she is a boss of a team. "In fact it is the other way round," she says. "As a boss I have not only to remain in constant touch with my team but also pep them up time and again so that they do their best on the field." "Besides that," Priety says, "I am the one who looks into all the details about meetings, conferences, chalking out agendas and also making it a point to be on the field. I take care of all the minute details. In that sense it is hard work--sheer hard work!" Interestingly, Preity, the boss, prefers the no makeup look when on the field. "I don't want to come like a heroine in the cricket ground", she says laughingly. Obviously Preity Zinta the brand is stronger than Preity the heroine!

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Preity Zinta walks on sunshine, wins top award

PREITY ZINTA has all the reasons to be on sun shine for the accolades she has received for her performance in Deepa Mehta’s film, Heaven on Earth. She has been honoured by being awarded the Silver Hugo Award for best actress at the 44th edition of Chicago International Film Festival. In extreme ecstasy, she articulates-“I am walking on sunshine. I can’t believe where I am!”
Indeed, Preity should feel proud for what she has attained. She is only the second Indian actress to have been bestowed such a prestigious award at the Chicago International Film Festival. Noted actress and socialite Shabana Azmi was the first to receive this award. This is the second big recognition for Preity within a year after winning warm reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.

This award is the result of a brave decision taken on the part of Preity to explore with new genre of acting. Unlike her stereotype candyfloss roles, Preity decided to take up serious and meaningful roles in movies such as The Last Lear, Heaven on Earth, and Heroes. Her belief in herself and her directors has taken Preity to the next level of acting, and hence accolades are the order of the day.

The jury of Chicago Film Festival praised Preity for her strong yet subtle performance as a woman struggling to keep her dreams despite brutal realities. Preity plays the role of a battered Punjabi wife, who is a victim of domestic violence. She has portrayed the lively character of a woman struggling to keep her dreams intact despite brutal realities she has been subjected to.

Heaven on Earth explores the struggle of an immigrant bride in Canada and the choice she has to make to empower herself away from the abusive relationship in her new home. Priety has lived her character to its fullest portraying the imagination, wit and soul strength of a battered wife trying to keep her sanity and self-esteem intact.

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For her power-packed performance in the film, Preity expressed her gratitude to Anupam Kher for attending his acting school to get her Punjabi right for the role and getting invaluable tips from him.

However, Preity was not present in Chicago, when this announcement was made and she only came to know through her director Deepa Mehta, who was all praise for Preity and described her as ’luminous’ in the film. Deepa said, “It’s amazing, isn’t it? I am so happy for Preity. She’s luminous in Heaven On Earth...just like Shabana Azmi in Fire.”

For now, all we can say is that Preity is proving her mettle in whatever venture she is trying her hands. On business front, she was recently declared by a foreign magazine to be one of the most influential female business personalities of the world- being the owner of IPL, Mohali team. Now, she has proved her credentials in acting on world stage. Congratulations Preity

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Preity took inspiration from mom for Heroes

Even as Preity Zinta's character in Samir Karnik's Heroes garners rave reviews it comes as a surprise to know that the role of the brave and dignified war widow is modelled on Preity's mother, Neelu Zinta.

Not only that, once Preity signed on, she worked for days on her character, language and body language with her director Karnik.

Says Preity, "The minute I read the script I knew I wanted to do it. You've no idea how many people discouraged me from doing Heroes. 'Arrey why do you want to play the mother of a growing child?; Tujhko log buddhi kahenge''. But I was adamant. I fell in love with my character. She reminded me of my mother. So many people have told me I look like her, especially in my shaadi ka joda.''

In Heroes, Preity plays a rustic Punjabi woman thrown into a crisis. ''It was easy for me to identify with the Punjabi woman in Heroes whose husband has died in the war. I come from an army background and I know what it is like to lose someone at the battlefront."

Preity unabashedly modelled the war widow's role in Heroes on her own mother. ''I always thought I looked like my father. But as I grow older, I think I've begun to resemble my mom. The other Punjabi woman I play in Heaven On Earth was much harder to play. I had no reference points except my director who held my hand as I suffered with my character for all the physical abuse she has to face."

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Preity Zinta, Rani Mukerjee and Priyanka Chopra in "Rab ne bana di Jodi" (Pictures)

A recent report from a newspaper has also reported that Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra and Rani Mukerji have been signed to appear in a song with Shah rukh khan in yashraj's upcoming new movie titled "Rab ne bana di Jodi" . The song will be a tribute to yesteryear actors and actresses and has been composed by Salim-Suleiman. However, when Mumbai Mirror contacted a YRF spokesperson, she did not deny the rumours that these actors are on board but did not confirm that they will be doing a song.

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Preity Zinta gorgeous in Black Saree !

Stunning Priety Zinta in a black transparent saree at Drona's premiere. As good as it gets, Preity is looking drop dead gorgeous in the black glittering saree as she attends the premiere of Drona. But Priety loved gorgeous at this premiere and proved that she is extremely gorgeous.

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Preity has no marriage plans right now

Bollywood star Preity Zinta is ecstatic after winning the best actress award at the 44th Chicago International Film Festival for playing a battered Punjabi wife in Deepa Mehta's "Heaven On Earth".

She is thankful to Anupam Kher for helping her get the right Punjabi diction for her role. The award was announced on Saturday and will be given on October 29. She has bagged the Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress "for her strong yet subtle performance as a woman struggling to keep her dreams despite brutal realities" in the Feature Film Competition section.

"It was my director Deepa Mehta who informed me on Saturday afternoon that I had won. I couldn't go to Chicago, and neither could Deepa. Without any lobbying I've done it. I am so happy and excited," Preity Zinta told IANS.

"I'm walking on sunshine. I can't believe where I am," added Preity who is also getting rave reviews for her performance in the just-released "Heroes". Preity is immensely thankful to Anupam Kher for her convincing performance in both the films.

"I attended his acting school (Actor Prepares) to get my Punjabi right for both the roles. He taught me how to pronounce the words properly. He has been a blessing." What really pleases Preity is that this international award will help sell "Heaven On Earth" to a global audience.

"It is a film in Punjabi and I felt the language would limit the appeal. But trust Deepa to break the cultural barriers." Preity says she has no marriage plans right now.

"I don't feel the time is right. I'd want to get married only when I want to have children. Right now let me enjoy this moment. Everyone, who thought those dimples needed to shut down now, this one is for you, guys."

Added Mehta: "It's amazing, isn't it? I'm so happy for Preity. She's luminous in 'Heaven On Earth' just like Shabana Azmi in 'Fire'. Coincidentally, Shabana was the other actress to win the best actress award at Chicago. I don't think any other Indian actress has won this award.

"I'm happy Preity is getting rave reviews for 'Heroes'. I've seen bits of her performance in 'Heroes'. And, in fact, it was that performance which reassured me that I had made the right choice for 'Heaven On Earth'."

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Preity Zinta declared best actress at Chicago film fest

Preity Zinta, whose performance in Deepa Mehta's Heaven on Earth, received warm reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, has won the Silver Hugo Award for best actress at the 44^thedition of Chicago International Film Festival.

 

The jury praised her 'for her strong yet subtle performance as a woman struggling to keep her dreams despite brutal realities.'

 

The film, which will inaugurate the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival in New York on November 5, is the first film in which Mehta has explored the struggle of an immigrant bride in Canada [Images]and the choice she has to make to empower herself away from the abusive relationship in her new home. Married to an Indian resident inCanada, she has to use her imagination, wit and soul strength to keep her sanity and self-esteem.

• Also Read: The slap Preity Zinta can never forget! 

At Chicago, the Gold Hugo  for the Best Film atChicago was awarded to the British-Irish film depicting an Irish Republican Army's prisoner in the UK who fasted into death. The film also featched for Silver Huge Award for Best Actor for Michael Fassbender for his self-sacrificing performance exemplifying the ideal of "being" rather than "acting."

 

Like Heaven on Earth, Hunger was also screened at the Toronto event.

 

Zinta had said at Toronto that when she is old, she would remember Heaven on Earth as her most accomplished film and the one that is closest to her heart. Though she shies away from darker films, she confessed, she took up Heaven on Earthbecause of the strength her character is endowed in the script. Besides, she had wanted to act in a Mehta film for a long time, she added.

• Also Read: When Preity learned not to fight back! 

Heaven on Earth has Mumbai's Ravi Chopra as one of its producers.

 

The Chicago International Film Festival runs October 16-29; it gives People's Choice Award on its last day. 

 

Zinta will attend the MIAAC Film Festival along with Mehta. The festival is the biggest and most prestigious of Indian film events in America and Canada. The red carpet inauguration event  will also see Shabana Azmi [Images] and Mira Nair, who will be co-chairing it, Salman Rushdie [Images], Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Madhur Jaffrey, Shashi Tharoor, Sooni Taraporevala, Konkana Sen Sharma [Images] and Ketan Mehta.

 

The festival ends on November 9 with Taraporevala's Little Zizou;  the directorial debut ofSalaam Bombay! screenwriter Taraporevala will be presented by  Nair who has worked with her in The Namesake [Images] and Salaam.

 

The MIAAC Film Festival will also host Danny Boyle's Toronto favorite Slumdog Millionaire and screen as a tribute to Chetan Anand his 1946 Cannes [Images] Gran Prix winner Neech Nagar (Lowly City), the first film scored by the sitar maestro Ravi Shankar.

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Vansh Bhardwaj slaps Preity Zinta

She's already bagged an award for her power-packed performance as a battered wife in Heaven On Earth, but Bollywood star Preity Zinta says she was humiliated when co-star Vansh Bhardwaj, who plays her abusive husband, slapped her while shooting a scene.

"When we were shooting the film, there was a scene where my co-star had to slap me and, of course, it was a mistake as he took one step forward and actually went smack across my face. It was the most humiliating experience of my life because everyone saw me getting slapped," said Preity.

Preity got the Silver Hugo Award for best actress in the Feature Film Competition section at the 44th Chicago International Film Festival Oct 29.

The mishap on the sets of director Deepa Mehta's film brought Preity closer to reality and made her understand the character better.

"It changed my whole perception towards my role and I realised that it's so terrible to strip a woman of her spirit. It's better to die than to let your spirit die. This film took me to another zone; it just shattered me because I am someone who would immediately stand up for myself," she said.

Known for her chirpy, bubbly and garrulous image in Bollywood, Preity would be seen at the receiving end in Mehta's film, which she says "completely broke" her heart.

She explained: "It was the most difficult film of my career. It's also a film that completely broke my heart. I remember asking a woman, who was a victim of domestic violence and had left her husband, what the turning point in her relationship was and she said, 'I told my husband if you want to beat me, beat me in a room. But don't beat me in front of the family.'

"I could never understand that. Beating someone is bad and it doesn't matter if it's alone or in front of others. It's terrible. I really didn't know what it was to be in a situation like this till I did the film."

Preity has of late been accepting non-commercial projects, including the recently released The Last Lear and Jahnu Barua's Har Pal.

Why the sudden interest in off-beat films?

"I did Heaven On Earth because I thought if a commercial actor like me ventured into something like this, it would provide a broader platform. It was something that really inspired me and I was very excited about. I always played stronger roles so this was a change for me.

"I'm happy that the film will get more eyeballs thanks to the recognition it has got. To me, I'll be ultimately happy if every family will see the film, especially the men," said Preity.

The actress said that while the movie did not have "the trappings of music and song and dance", it was still very close to her heart "because it tackles immigration; it tackles domestic violence - topics that we like to brush under the carpet".

The year so far has brought her much critical acclaim as her performances in both The Last Lear and Heroes were widely appreciated.

The actress added that she would return to her trademark girl-next-door image only if she was offered a role with "substance".

"I will do masala movies for sure, but I would like to have substance in them. I can't do just the glam chick any longer. I've been there, done that. It just doesn't inspire me any more. I have to leave that for the other girls to do. That's the way one grows," she said. Heaven On Earth will have its worldwide commercial release in November end.

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In Heroes we don't bad mouth Pakistan: Preity Zinta

After almost a gap of one and half years Preity is back with a more mature outlook towards life. And that can be made out in her forthcoming films. Currently her three films are due for release, let's talk to her and know more about them.

Q-It's almost after one and half years that your three films are going to be released?
A-Yes, alongwith Heroes there are two more films that are going to be released. After Heroes which is releasing in Diwali it's going to be Deepa Mehta's "Heaven and Earth"and then Jaanu Barua's "Har Pal" will be released.

In all these films Heroes and Har Pal are completely commercial films but Heaven and Earth is a realistic film. Its based on household violence. In both the films Heroes and in Heaven and Earth I'm playing the role of a Punjabi girl.

The characters that I'm playing in both these films are different forms of women. It's chirpy and bubbly in one while serious and stronger in the other.

The character of Har Pal is something very different from what I have played till now. It reminded me of Kya Kehna.

Q-What is the specialty of these three films?
A-The specialty about these films would be that they will have a place in my personal film library. I'm really proud about these films as in them I have challenged the actor inside me.

Moreover in this era of only commercial films these films are a good combination of reality and commercial and I list them with Taare Zammen Par, Rang de Basanti, Wednesday and Munna Bhai.

And also the best part about Heroes is that in spite of being an army based film it has not bad mouthed Pakistan in any way.

Q-What would you like to say about Deepa Mehta?
A-What do I say about her, she is one of the finest directors in the world. I always thought about her as a director who could never go wrong. This was proved at Toronto after the screening of our film Heaven and Earth when the entire crowd there gave a standing ovation.

Q-In all the three films you are playing the role of a typical Indian girl, which of these is the real you?
A-Amongst the three, Kuljeet of Heroes is very close coz she is shown patriotic just, like me. But I feel just by saying any one of these characters resemble me would be unfair. More than my characters I trust these films.

Q-That means you are sure to win the national award this year?
A- (laughing) I don't know. I would want the viewers to be my award. I would like them to go and watch these films. And I would personally request every man and women to definitely watch Deepa Mehta's Heaven and Earth.

Q-Its heard that in Heroes al the heroines are sidelined, is it true?
A- Absolutely not, there is nothing like this. These are all personal views of the media. They have a habit of hyping the smallest of issues.

I would like to appreciate them as they have managed to hit the bull's eye once again. Just like Veer Zaara was Shah Rukh and Preity's film and in every poster the two of them were seen, in the same way in this film also the heroine plays a very strong character. but Heroes is actually as the name suggests a film basically on the heroes.

Q-After almost one and half year you were to be seen in "last Lear" and now in all your forthcoming films you are seem to be excited about doing all different characters. Why at this time?
A-what do you mean?

Q-I meant that were you offered such roles or you had decided that you want to do something different?
A-Yes, I had decided I wanted to do something different. because of this decision I also refused a lot of big banners which I don't want to mention now.

Whereas media had already started spreading the news that Preity is not getting any good offers and that she is planning to get married. The fact was that I had taken a one year time off from my directors for the IPL as I dint want to discuss things before they could work out.

In midst of all this I always thought in my heart that I wanted to do something different that would inspire me. Lot of my friends were annoyed and said that I was really crazy to do something like this.

Q-But why did you decide to do something like this?
A-Every single person asked me the same question at that time. And I answered all of them by saying that even if I fail in my expectations I would like to give myself a chance. No one would be held responsible for my failure.

Everytime when someone would come up to me with a offer I would instantly agree thinking that the film sounds great, the banner is big the money is good, It was as if someone is controlling me with a remote control. This was not what my heart wanted.

When I took an off for IPL I felt that these are some signals from God, coz the day I decided to do something different I got a call from Deepa Mehta asking me for Heaven and Earth.

Q-Haven't Deepa Mehta and Rituparna Ghosh offered you any roles before?
A-Of course they had offered me. Even when I was doing hard core commercial films I did get offers from big directors for such roles.

At that time I had told them that I want to be completely dedicated to what I'm doing, if im unable to give my hundred percent to the film then that would be a minus point for the film.

Q-Why did you do a cameo role in Mr. and Mrs. Khanna and Rab ne Bana di Jodi?
A-As far as Mr. and Mrs. Khanna is concerned the director of the film is a very close friend of mine and he always wanted me to work with him. But I was so obsessed with these three forthcoming films of mine that I refused him.

Now when he came up to me with this small role I couldn't refuse him. For Rab ne Bana di jodi I wouldn't like to comment on that film. - Rajnee Gupta

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"You look so good, Salman" - Preity Zinta

Preity Zinta just can't stop praising Salman's look in 'Heroes' even though earlier, she has never been seen complimenting her male co-stars.



"This is for the first time that my male co-star's look made go completely in awe of him. Salman is a Jat Punjabi in the film and every time I'd see him in that get up I'd go, "Wow! You look so good, Salman!" Salman and I have worked together earlier in films but I had never complimented him ever. But Salman's Sikh look swept me off my feet," Preity said smiling.

Obviously, Preity has enough reasons to praise Salman. In fact, recently when the actress was in London, a couple of Sikh fans came up to her and complimented her on 'Heroes' as well as Salman's look in the film. They also raved about the fact that they were waiting in anticipation for 'Heroes' to release. They were even teasing her with Salman and that's when the sporty Preity retorted tongue-in-cheek, "Well I am proud to be his wife... in the film that is!"

Well, Preity sure has a rocking sense of humor.

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'Shah Rukh is a good friend'

For once, we saw the beautiful Preity Zinta sansmake-up, comfortably seated at her residence. The actress was in a cheerful mood and spoke about her forthcoming films, image makeover, IPL and a lot more… Excerpts from the interview:

What made you take up Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear?

I had a great experience working in this film. I will always be grateful to Rituda for letting me do something different. I knew from the beginning that it was a neat film. Was it difficult to attempt a film with dialogues from Shakespearean plays? 

Yes, unless you know Shakespeare, you will not get the essence right. So it was an enriching experience for me. I am glad people liked it in places like New York, Toronto, Rome and London. The response was great. 

People have always admired you as a bubbly actress. Why have you started taking up serious roles?

I pick up roles where I can work and have fun at the same time. I am the kind of person who sees a mountain and says, 'Ah it's a high mountain and I want to climb it'. Once I reach on top, I will sleep for five days. Then I'll look for another mountain and want to climb higher. 

Any particular reason for this long gap between Jhoom Barabar Jhoom and The Last Lear… Yes, I wanted a break for a year and am thankful to all my director friends who supported me in this. Then I had IPL coming my way. It was great.

What is Heaven on Earth all about?

Heaven on Earth dwells on the subject of immigration and domestic violence. Deepa's (Mehta) film is real and every scene in the film holds true. The film is an adaptation of a real life story. I happened to meet this woman called Mona Gill. She faced domestic violence for nine years and then became a cop.The film got a standing ovation at Toronto film festival. I really want people to watch this film.

After Heroes you are again playing a Punjabi character in Heaven on Earth…

I think I have some karmic connection with Punjab. Both the films highlight on the day-to-day lives of women in the rural sections of Punjab.

Tell me something about Heroes?

Heroes gave something back to me. Even I hail from an army background. And the film is not about Pakistan bashing for a change. It's an out-and-out time pass film.

At this stage of your career, what kind of offers are you expecting?

I thank God for what he has given me so far. Today, I want to do something real, portray realistic characters. I know what Aamir must have felt when he made Taare Zameen Par. When I saw Taare… I cried and called him up to congratulate him. Heroes will have a similar effect on people. It is touching and entertaining at the same time.

Tell something about Har Pal?

Har Pal is a frothy film with an original plot. I got an opportunity to work with Dharamji in the film. It was a dream come true.

We heard that you were not comfortable working with Shiney Ahuja during the shoot of Har Pal…

There was nothing wrong between us. We didn't just get along well. We didn't become best of friends and that's because we didn't get the time to sit and chat. My role in Har Pal was somewhat difficult and I was little bit of a loner on the sets. I have been working with Shah Rukh, Salman, Aamir, Hrithik for years now. So, they are my friends. I don't see inviting Shiney to my house. 

Anupam Kher helped you a lot with Punjabi accent…

Yes, 'Pum Pum' as I call him, helped me a lot. I used to go to Anupam's house for tips. He's like family to me. I visited his house for three days and made a big dhamaal. 

How much have you changed as an actor?

I think you will notice it in my upcoming films…

Tell us something about the second season of IPL.

We are going to have a press conference sometime soon. There will be lot of revised rules for everyone. It will be bigger and better. I chopped my hair during the last IPL, because I didn't want to distract the crowd. I used to go on the field sans make-up. I was always in jeans and T-shirts.

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