Spotlight: Preity Zinta

After a splendid show in Rituparno Ghosh’s off beat take, ‘The Last Lear’, Preity Zinta is all set to make a mark with Samir Karnik’s ‘Heroes’. Preity plays a war widow, Kulraj Kaur, who has to fight her own battle to stay afloat in an unkind world.

Preity started her career with Mani Ratnam’s SRK-starrer ‘Dil Se’. She has, of late, been changing tracks to do her bit for what she calls “responsible cinema”. On screen, Preity combines the elegance of Audrey Hepburn, the charm of Debra Winger and the tomboyishness of Demi Moore!

Known for her spontaneity, Preity has given some memorable performances in movies such as ‘Kya Kehna’, ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’, ‘Lakshya’, ‘Kabhi Al Vida Na Kehna’ and ‘Veer Zaara’.

We train the Spotlight, this week, on the bubbly Miss Zinta. For standing up for She believes in. And for being the “Only man in Bollywood”!

Birthday: 31st Jan ---- (don't ask the year you silly)

Preity Zinta (Hindi: प्रीति ज़िंटा, Urdu: پریتی زینتا. Pronunciation: born 31 January) is an award-winning popular Indian actress who appears in Bollywood movies. She is among the most successful actresses in the industry, and is regarded as one of the biggest names in India. Balancing commercial successes with critically acclaimed performances she has established herself as one of the most prominent leading actresses of Hindi cinema.

born in Shimla, native of Rohru, after earning a degree in criminal psychology, Zinta began her career as a model, television anchor, and commercial (ad films) actress (She was seen in Lyril (soap) ad film) before breaking into cinema in 1998 with her role in Dil Se, for which she won the Filmfare Sensational Debut Award.

In 2003, Zinta had two smash hits films, Koi... Mil Gaya and Kal Ho Naa Ho. She is currently among the most successful actresses in Bollywood, having made it without any relation to the industry. In the year of 2003, she won many awards for her role as "Naina" in the film, Kal Ho Naa Ho. She also won herself another Filmfare Award but this time in the popular award category. Since then she has appeared in two other box office hits (Veer-Zaara and Salaam Namaste).