Preity Zinta, the dimpled, bubbly beauty belongs to the highlands. From the treacherous serpentine pathways of Sanjauli in Shimla, to make her presence felt in already overcrowded Bollywood, for sure, would have been tough. But that is what Preity loves’to take a challenge.

She was born on January 31st, 1974 at Shimla. Her father being in the Army, Preity did her schooling from various schools, as her late father got posted across the country. Right from her childhood days, Preity was daring, outspoken, besides being beautiful.

She entered the glamour world with a splash appearing in a Liril soap ad, which instantly caught the eye of those who matter in the glam world. Appearing for Cadburys Perk with mischievous expressions and twinkling eyes, Preity caught Shekhar Kapoor attention, who was looking for fresh faces for his Tara Rum Pum Pum. Obviously, Preity signed on the dotted lines. Although the project never took off, but it paid big dividends to Preity as she shot to fame and bagged some good offers within no time.

‘Dil Se..’ was her first release along with Manisha Koirala and Shahrukh Khan and the film set the box-officer on fire. Preity played a small but significant role in the film and she impressed everybody with her acting skills, dazzling smile and pleasant disposition.

‘Soldier’ (1998) and ‘Sangharsh‘ (1999) have merely reiterated the fact and by then she was on a firm ground in the Bollywood. In the former she played an impish, spoilt rich girl with great conviction. In the latter she was equally at ease executing the part of a gritty young CBI trainee in search of a dreaded killer. Also, she made a mark in the industry with her portrayal of a modern day woman, who dared to go against the acceptable social norms. She also acted in a Telugu movie, Premante Idera.

In 1999, she appeared in another Telugu movie Raja Kumarudu and as a CBI officer in Tanuja Chandra’s Sangharsh, which was inspired by Silence of the Lambs. In 2000, she played Priya Bakshi in Kya Kehna, which dealt with pre-marital sex and the ostracization of a single, pregnant woman. This was followed by Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega with Rani Mukherji and Salman Khan and Mission Kashmir in which she played a journalist opposite Hrithik Roshan.

2001 to 2004
She starred once again with Rani Mukherji and Salman Khan in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001), which was mired in controversy as it was supposed to have been financed by the underworld. Then there was the groundbreaking Dil Chahta Hai which cast her as Aamir Khan?s love interest. Dil Hai Tumhaara, her only release in 2002, did not do well at the box office. Armaan, in 2003, saw her in a negative role and she was part of Bollywood’s sci-fi movie, Koi Mil Gaya, with Hrithik Roshan. It was Naina Catherine Kapoor’s role in Karan Johar’s Kal Ho Na Ho that cinched the Filmfare Best Film Actress Award.

In Lakshya, she famously played the role of journalist Barkha Dutt. Veer’Zaara was a love story between a Pakistani woman and an Indian man and won her praise.

Koi Mil Gaya against Hrithik Roshan was another milestone she touched with a bang. So far, so good; the road ahead looks better with plum projects with big names like Yash Chopra, Karan Johar and Farhan Akhtar already in her grasp. Recently seen in movies ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho‘ & ‘Lakshya‘. However, Preity, a relentless self-improver, doesn’t take her success lightly. Or too seriously either, for that matter. Maybe that’s why she enjoys it so much.

Salaam Namaste, set in Australia and starring Saif Ali Khan, had her in the role of Amber a radio jockey in a live-in relationship and for the third time onscreen she was pregnant out of wedlock.

Kabhie Alvida Naa Kehna, another multi starrer by Karan Johar, did well in 2006. Jhoom Barabar Jhoom in 2007 didn?t do well in India but did better business overseas.

Rituparno Ghosh’s The Last Lear got mixed reviews. In 2008, she played Kuljeet Kaur, a war-widow in Heroes and Chand in Deepa Mehta’s Heaven on Earth that was about domestic violence.

In 2009, she was seen in a cameo role in Main Aur Mrs Khanna. Her next release is Jahnu Barua’s Har Pall (2010) with Shiney Ahuja.

Movies Done By Preity Zinta

1998 Dil Se.. Preeti Nair Mani Ratnam Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut (also for Soldier)
Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
1998 Premante Idera Shailu Jayanth C. Paranjee Telugu film; Dubbed into Hindi as Dulhan Dilwale Ki
1998 Soldier Preity Abbas-Mustan Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut (also for Dil Se..)
1999 Raja Kumarudu Rani K. Raghavendra Rao Telugu film; Dubbed into Hindi as Prince No. 1
1999 Sangharsh Reet Oberoi Tanuja Chandra
1999 Dillagi Rani Sunny Deol Guest appearance
2000 Kya Kehna Priya Bakshi Kundan Shah Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2000 Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega Jahnvi Raj Kanwar
2000 Mission Kashmir Sufiya Parvez/Sufiya Altaf Khan Vidhu Vinod Chopra
2001 Farz Kajal Singh Raj Kanwar
2001 Chori Chori Chupke Chupke Madhubala Abbas-Mustan Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
2001 Dil Chahta Hai Shalini Farhan Akhtar
2001 Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke Sakshi Deepak Shivdasani
2002 Dil Hai Tumhaara Shalu Kundan Shah
2003 The Hero: Love Story of a Spy Reshma (Ruksar) Anil Sharma
2003 Armaan Sonia Kapoor Honey Irani Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role
2003 Koi… Mil Gaya Nisha Rakesh Roshan Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2003 Kal Ho Naa Ho Naina Catherine Kapur Nikhil Advani Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2004 Lakshya Romila Dutta Farhan Akhtar
2004 Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa Dr. Parineeta Atul Agnihotri
2004 Veer-Zaara Zaara Hayaat Khan Yash Chopra Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2005 Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen Priti Damani Harmesh Malhotra
2005 Salaam Namaste Ambar ‘Amby’ Malhotra Siddharth Anand Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2006 Alag — Jim Mulligan
2006 Ashu Trikha Special appearance in song “Sabse Alag”
2006 Krrish Nisha Rakesh Roshan Special appearance
2006 Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna Rhea Saran Karan Johar Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
2006 Jaan-E-Mann Piya Goyal Shrish Kunder
2007 Jhoom Barabar Jhoom Alvira Khan Shaad Ali
2007 The Last Lear Shabnam Rituparno Ghosh English language film
2007 Om Shanti Om Herself Farah Khan Special appearance in song “Deewangi Deewangi”
2008 Har Pal Runa Jahnu Barua Unreleased
2008 Heaven on Earth Chand Deepa Mehta Punjabi language Canadian film; Dubbed into Hindi as Videsh
2008Heroes Kuljeet Kaur Samir Karnik
2008 Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi — Aditya Chopra Special appearance in song “Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte”
2009 Main Aurr Mrs Khanna Haseena Jagmagia Prem Soni Special appearance
2013 Ishkq in Paris Ishkq Prem Raj Also producer and writer
2014 Happy Ending Divya Raj & DK Cameo appearance
2018 Welcome to New York Herself Chakri Toleti Cameo appearance
2018 Bhaiaji Superhit Sapna Dubey Neeraj Pathak

Awards Received By Preity Zinta

2003: Zinta is the first recipient of Godfrey’s Mind of Steel Award at the annual Red and White Bravery Awards, given to her for the “Courageous Act” of standing against the Mumbai Underworld.
2007: Giant International Awards, for her contribution to Indian Cinema.
2008: Kelvinator GR8! FLO Women Awards for achievement in films.
2008: Smita Patil Memorial Award, for her outstanding contribution to the Hindi film industry.
2009: Zinta was among the 10 recipients of the IIFA-FICCI Frames Awards for “Most Powerful Entertainers of the Decade”.
2010: Zinta was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of East London. It was awarded in Honour of both her cultural contribution, and her humanitarian work. Cited as “an international actress, pioneering star of Hindi cinema and devoted humanitarian. Preity has carved a path for women to follow.
2011: “World Diamond Group Platinum Award for Peoples’ Friendship” at the Venice Film Festival