KK careen http://web.archive.org/web/20041127153025/http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/nov212004/enter9.asp

Farhan Akhtar, who directed her in DCH and Lakshya, described her can mould herself—the way she speaks, works and her body language—and adapt herself to roles.http://www.rediff.com/movies/2004/apr/08farhan.htm

Director Jahnu Baruah believed she is "amazingly mature actress", lamenting that in spite of her success, "Bollywood has under-utilised her for years".http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-bollywood-has-underutilised-preity-1159327

Actor Om Puri called her "a bundle of energy"[1]

Film actor Amitabh Bachchan expressed his admiration of Zinta's "drive and guts in a world that can be most cruel to a single girl", describing her as "frank and painfully honest and outspoken to the 'o'"[2]

Author and columnist Shobha De, while supporting her molestation complaint against Ness Wadia, believed her brave nature could be playing against her: "India is not terribly kind to strong-willed, outspoken women who are dubbed 'trouble makers' if they dare to raise their voices, especially against men. Zinta is such a woman."

[3]

Media edit

Zinta is particularly known in the Indian media for her straightforward nature and for honestly expressing her forthright opinions in public, be it about her on-screen or off-screen life or raising a voice against social injustice.[1][2][3] While she does not believe she is "as tough as people portray [her] to be," she admits this attitude has often put her in trouble. In spite of this, she asserts having no qualms about speaking her mind, remaining undeterred by controversy, as long as she stands "by what's right".[4] These features were noted during the Bharat Shah Case, when she testified against the underworld; following this incident she was often called by journalists "The only man in Bollywood", a label she was unhappy with for its underlying anti-feminist connotations.[5][6] Film actor Amitabh Bachchan, describing her as "frank and painfully honest," lauded her "drive and guts in a world that can be most cruel to a single girl." Author and columnist Shobhaa De, while commending her for lodging a molestation complaint against Ness Wadia in 2014, expressed concern regarding Zinta's repeated quest for justice, believing it could eventually play against her: "India is not terribly kind to strong-willed, outspoken women who are dubbed 'trouble makers' if they dare to raise their voices, especially against men. Zinta is such a woman."[7][8]


Her characteristic dimple has been cited by the media as her trademark. At the beginning of her career, she was often described by the press as having a vivacious personality and a bubbly, outgoing persona, an image she had confessed to disliking.[9] According to film critic Sukanya Verma, Zinta's energetic nature extends from her real-life into her appearances in films and is an integral part of her technique. In an article discussing Hindi film actresses and their flair for comedy, Verma wrote, "What can you say about an actress who giggles non-stop in a tone that is anything but prim and propah? She is carefree. She is animated. She talks non-stop. She laughs all the time. She has a chilled out sense of humour. And a tomboyish streak too. Preity Zinta is all that and more. All this greatly contributes to her style of acting."[10] Reviewing Chori Chori Chupke Chupke for Hindustan Times, Vinayak Chakravorty noted that "there is an admirable zest that Preity pumps into every role she does."[11] In a review of Salaam Namaste, Australian film critic Jake Wilson observed, "While Preity Zinta isn't the subtlest actress, she's quite a comedienne — for a Hollywood equivalent to her combination of beauty, high-strung emotion and facial gymnastics you might have to go back to Natalie Wood."[12] Farhan Akhtar, who directed her in two movies, believes she is an actress who "can mould herself—the way she speaks, works and her body language—and adapt herself to roles," while Vidhu Vinod Chopra (director of Mission Kashmir) credits her with the ability to "make the viewer believe even in the most convoluted situation."[13][14]

In 2008, having directed her in the never-released Har Pal, director Jahnu Baruah, while impressed with her maturity as an actor, lamented that, her success notwithstanding, she had been under-utilized by the Hindi film industry for years.

Following her portrayal of such characters as those in Sangharsh, Kya Kehna, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke and Salaam Namaste, Zinta gained a reputation for playing roles that go against Indian traditional mores and was often recognised for her versatility.[15][9][16] Critics attributed her roles in these films as to establishing a new image for leading actresses in Bollywood.[5][17][18] Karan Johar cites her as "a new-wave actress" who has the advantage of working at a time when "films portray a woman who knows her mind". In the book Once Upon a Time in Bollywood, it is stated that Zinta "resists patriarchal constraints through her modern lifestyle and the controversial roles she chooses."[19] Columnist Shomini Sen, while discussing the decrease in her popularity following the failure of her comeback vehicle Ishkq in Paris, remarked that "even in the conventional roles, there was something about her that all of us could relate to. She wasn't the usual Hindi film heroine."http://www.filmfare.com/features/we-want-you-back-8769-6.html#descArticle

In 2003, Zinta appeared in the number one spot on Rediff's "Top Bollywood Female Stars".[20] She was ranked second for the following three years.[21][22][23] She has been featured frequently on other Rediff lists, including "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses",[24] "Bollywood's Best Dressed Women"[25] and "Woman of Many Faces".[26] In September 2006, the UK magazine Eastern Eye ranked her at 41 in the list of "Asia's Sexiest Women".[27] In 2010, Time magazine selected her as one of the candidates for its list of the world's 100 most influential people. She was the only Indian actress nominated for the poll and eventually did not make it to the final list, ranked at 144.[28]

On 15 July 2005, Zinta filed a defamation suit against leading Mumbai tabloid Mid-Day after tapes emerged alleging that Salman Khan had made derogatory comments about her.[29] The tabloid published transcripts indicating that she had a sexual relationship with Khan, and she was cross-examined as a chief witness in January 2007. She said about the case, "I felt humiliated as it spoiled my reputation and character in public." She told of disparaging phone calls she received from individuals pretending to be Salman Khan, and that she had been repeatedly questioned in a derogatory fashion by the media.[30] Zinta further stated that the events affected her professionally as well; a planned film with Khan was abandoned. The tape was examined by the Government's forensic laboratory in Chandigarh which concluded that it was a fake.[31]

Between 2006 and 2008 Zinta made three consecutive appearances at the Cannes Film Festival. At first she attended the 2006 Film Festival along with filmmaker Karan Johar to represent the Hindi film industry and promote Johar's then-forthcoming Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, which featured Zinta in a leading role.[32] For the next two years, she returned to Cannes as the brand ambassador of Chopard, the maker of luxury watches and jewellery.[33]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference brave2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference brave3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference poised was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Shetty-Saha, Shubha (12 October 2008). "Preity Zinta talks tough!". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Now showing Chakde! – Fiesty [sic] foot forward". The Indian Express. 14 August 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2007.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference charities was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Press Trust of India (20 June 2012). "Amitabh Bachchan praises Preity Zinta". NDTV. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  8. ^ De, Shobhaa (16 June 2014). "Preity Zinta Will Find Herself Increasingly Isolated". NDTV. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference bubbly image was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Verma, Sukanya (2 December 2004). "What do Sridevi, Kajol and Preity have in common?". Rediff.com. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  11. ^ Chakravorty, Vinayak (9 March 2001). "Chori Chori Chupke Chupke". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 20 August 2001. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  12. ^ Wilson, Jake (8 September 2005). "Salaam Namaste". Urban Cinefile. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  13. ^ Ashraf, Syed Firdaus (8 April 2004). "Lakshya is about Hrithik, about finding yourself". Rediff.com. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  14. ^ Taparia Rathi, Nidhi (30 September 2002). "Taparia Rathi". India Today. Living Media. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference Early life was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Nair, Nandini (20 March 2008). "Time to play a woman — Preity Zinta". The Hindu. Retrieved 20 May 2009.
  17. ^ Duara, Ajit (19 June 2005). "On the verge of extinction". The Hindu. Retrieved 5 May 2008.
  18. ^ Omar, Fuad (2006). Bollywood: An Insider's Guide. Mayhem Pub. pp. 161–162. ISBN 1-84728-009-9.
  19. ^ Singh Jolly, Gurbir; B. Wadhwani, Zenia; Barretto Baretto (2007). Once Upon a Time in Bollywood: The Global Swing in Hindi Cinema. TSAR Publications. p. 191. ISBN 978-1-894770-40-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference rediff2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Sen, Raja (2004). "Best Actress 2004". Rediff.com. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
  22. ^ Kulkarni, Ronjita (2005). "Ten best Bollywood actresses of 2005". Rediff.com. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
  23. ^ Sen, Raja (5 September 2006). "Readers' Pick: Top Bollywood Actresses". Rediff.com. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
  24. ^ "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses". Rediff.com. 2004. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
  25. ^ Verma, Sukanya (9 May 2007). "Bollywood's best dressed women". Rediff.com. Retrieved 20 May 2007.
  26. ^ Verma, Sukanya. "Women of many faces". Rediff.com. Retrieved 6 July 2007.
  27. ^ "Asia's sexiest women". Rediff.com. 20 September 2006. Retrieved 25 September 2007.
  28. ^ Time Staff (1 April 2011). "The 2010 TIME 100 Poll". Time. Retrieved 3 September 2011.
  29. ^ PTI (25 November 2005). "Preity Zinta files complaint against Mid-Day". The Times of India. Retrieved 31 December 2010.
  30. ^ Kelkar, Reshma (23 March 2007). "'Sach ki hamesha anth main jeet hoti hai' feels Preity". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  31. ^ "Salman cleared in Aishwarya tape case". Dawn. 17 September 2005. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 9 November 2007.
  32. ^ "Bollywood Actress Heads To Cannes". CBS Interactive Inc. Associated Press. 12 May 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2007.
  33. ^ Indo-Asian News Service (16 May 2008). "Exhausted Preity Zinta flies off to Cannes". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 7 June 2008.