31 minutes agoAuthor: Shaily Acharya
The debate over working hours in Bollywood is back in focus. While Deepika Padukone’s reported demand for an eight-hour shift sparked discussions on work-life balance, Preity Zinta revealed she worked up to 18 hours a day during her latest film, Batwara. She said it was her personal choice to finish work quickly and return to the US to spend time with her children.
Preity’s journey goes far beyond long working hours, from losing her father at 13 to becoming a Bollywood leading lady, taking on the underworld and building a life beyond films.
Let’s revisit her remarkable journey in this week’s Flashback Friday.
Losing her father at 13
Preity Zinta was born on January 31, 1975, in Shimla.
Preity’s father, Durganand Zinta, was an Indian Army officer. His disciplined approach to life had a strong influence on Preity.
But when she was just 13, tragedy struck. Her father died in a car accident. Her mother, Nilprabha, was also in the car and suffered severe injuries, reportedly spending nearly a year recovering.
Preity later recalled that she had a strange feeling before the accident. She used to read the newspaper every day at school and had once told a friend that she felt she might read bad news about her father.
The day after the accident, she returned to school and was taken to a room where she eventually saw the newspaper carrying the news of her father’s death.
Graphic Credit: Nikhil Valari.
She said she did not cry for months because she had never seen her father’s body and struggled to accept that he was gone.
A bright student who studied psychology
She graduated in English honours and also studied psychology and criminal psychology.
Despite the tragedy, Preity continued her education. She studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary School in Shimla and later attended St Bede’s College.
Interestingly, acting was not originally her career plan. Her entry into the entertainment industry happened almost by chance.
From a chocolate ad to Bollywood
In 1996, Preity attended a friend’s birthday party, where she met an advertising filmmaker. He was impressed by her personality and later called her for an audition for a chocolate advertisement.
Preity expected only a few people at the audition. Instead, she found around 50 girls waiting.
She was nervous but went ahead. She reportedly delivered just two lines while holding a chocolate, and she got selected.
That advertisement was for Perk, and its popular tagline helped make her face recognisable.
She later appeared in the famous Liril advertisement, further establishing herself as a model. Soon, films came calling.
Her first film was offered but never made
Preity met filmmaker Shekhar Kapur during an audition. She initially insisted that she had not come there to audition. But she eventually gave one.
Two weeks later, Kapur offered her a role in Tara Rum Pum Pum. The film was never made, but Preity had already made up her mind to enter films.
She has recalled that she made the decision by tossing a coin.
Her first released film was Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se.. in 1998. Although her role was relatively small, she made an impact.
She then appeared in films such as Soldier, Sangharsh and Kya Kehna. The latter, although released in 2000, was one of the first films she had signed.
Saroj Khan’s scolding became a turning point
Preity once recalled an incident from the shooting of Kya Kehna that left her in tears.
While shooting a song, she struggled with lip-syncing and choreography. Veteran choreographer Saroj Khan reportedly reprimanded her for not knowing how to dance or lip-sync properly.
Preity said she felt humiliated and cried that day.
But instead of giving up, the experience pushed her to work harder. She realised that if she wanted to survive in the film industry, she had to give the profession her complete effort.
The golden phase of her career
Between 2003 and 2006, Preity was at the peak of her career.
She delivered memorable performances in films such as Kal Ho Naa Ho, Koi… Mil Gaya, Veer-Zaara, Salaam Namaste and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.
Graphic Credit: Nikhil Valari.
She worked with some of Bollywood’s biggest stars, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Sunny Deol and Akshay Kumar.
Her distinctive smile, energetic screen presence and ability to move between romantic, dramatic and unconventional roles made her one of the most recognisable actresses of her generation.
She stood up to the underworld
One of the most significant chapters of Preity’s life came in 2003.
Her film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, starring Salman Khan, Rani Mukerji and Preity, became linked to a case involving alleged underworld financing.
Preity received threats and was reportedly asked for money. Several film personalities were connected to the case, but Preity became known for standing by her statement in court.
She testified against Bharat Shah, who was accused of links with underworld figure Chhota Shakeel.
Her decision to testify despite threats earned her widespread praise. She was later honoured with the Red & White Bravery Award’s Mind of Steel Award for her courage.
A birthday gift that changed 34 lives
In 2009, on her 34th birthday, Preity Zinta chose to give herself a very different kind of birthday gift. She took responsibility for the upbringing of 34 girls from the Mother Miracle orphanage in Rishikesh. She pledged to support their education, food and clothing and said she would remain connected with them and visit them twice a year. For Preity, this was not just about financial support. She described the girls as her children and called their well-being her responsibility. She also said that helping underprivileged girls was something she deeply cared about and hoped to take on more such responsibilities in the future.
A ₹600-crore inheritance she reportedly refused
Preity’s life outside films has also generated headlines.
Shandaar Amrohi, son of legendary filmmaker Kamal Amrohi, reportedly considered Preity like a daughter and had announced that he wanted to leave property worth around ₹600 crore to her.
Preity reportedly declined the offer, saying that she did not need someone else’s property and that her relationship with him was based on friendship and support rather than financial gain.
From actress to entrepreneur
Preity eventually expanded her career beyond acting.
She became associated with the Indian Premier League as a co-owner of Punjab Kings, while also working as a producer and brand ambassador.
Preity Zinta’s ‘turmoil’ relation with Ness Wadia
Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia’s once much-talked-about romance turned bitter after their relationship reportedly deteriorated. The couple, who co-owned Punjab Kings, parted ways amid allegations of abuse.
In 2014, Preity accused Wadia of molestation, verbal abuse and physical assault during an IPL match at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium. She also alleged that he had thrown burning cigarettes at her and locked her in a room. Preity filed a police complaint, but withdrew it in 2018, bringing the four-year legal dispute to an end.
Married American businessman Gene
Her personal life also changed significantly. In 2016, she married American businessman Gene Goodenough.
The couple became parents to twins, Jai and Gia, through surrogacy in 2021.
She subsequently spent considerable time between her professional commitments and her family life in the US.
And now, she’s back in films
After several years away from leading roles, Preity returned to the big screen, taking on new projects and once again becoming part of conversations around Bollywood.
Her recent comments about working 18 hours a day offer an interesting contrast to the ongoing debate around fixed working hours in the industry.
But perhaps the larger story is this: Preity Zinta’s journey has never been just about films.
It is a story of personal loss, an unexpected entry into Bollywood, professional struggles, blockbuster success, courage in the face of threats, entrepreneurship and a life that continued to evolve beyond the spotlight.
And that’s the story of Bollywood’s dimple girl in this week’s Flashback Friday.
