Coordinates	29°57′53″N90°4′14″N
name	Akshay Kumar
birth name	Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia
birth date	September 09, 1967
birth place	Amritsar, India
occupation	Film actor, producer, presenter
years active	1991–present
spouse	Twinkle Khanna (2001–present)
website	}}

Akshay Kumar (; born Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia on 9 September 1967) is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "''Khiladi'' series", which included ''Khiladi'' (1992), ''Sabse Bada Khiladi'' (1995), ''Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi'' (1996), ''International Khiladi'' (1999), and ''Khiladi 420'' (2000), as well as other action films such as ''Mohra'' (1994).

He later gained more fame for his drama, romance and comedy roles. He started becoming known for his performances in romance films like ''Yeh Dillagi'' (1994) and ''Dhadkan'' (2000) as well as drama films such as ''Ek Rishtaa'' (2001). His comic performances in comedy films such as ''Hera Pheri'' (2000), ''Mujhse Shaadi Karogi'' (2004), and ''Garam Masala'' (2005) met with acclaim. His success further rose in 2007, when he starred in four consecutive commercial hits. He has thus established himself as one of the leading actors in Hindi cinema.

Apart from acting, Kumar worked as a stunt actor; he often performed many dangerous stunts in his films, which earned him a reputation as the "Indian Jackie Chan". 2008 marked his television debut as the host of the show ''Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi''. In 2009, Kumar founded the Hari Om Entertainment production company. In 2008, the University of Windsor conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Law on Kumar in recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema. The following year he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.

Early life

Akshay Kumar was born in Amritsar, Punjab to a Punjabi family. His father was a government employee. From a very young age, he was recognised as a performer, particularly as a dancer. Kumar was raised in Delhi's Chandni Chowk neighbourhood before moving to Mumbai. In Mumbai, he lived in Koliwada, which was another Punjabi dominated area. He studied at Don Bosco School and then Guru Nanak Khalsa College (King's Circle), where he participated in sports with Janpal Singh.

After having obtained a black belt in Taekwondo while in India, he studied martial arts in Bangkok, Thailand, where he learned Muay Thai and worked as a chef and waiter. He then came back to Mumbai, where he started teaching martial arts. One of his students happened to be a photographer and recommended him to do modelling. The student gave him a modelling assignment for a small company. For his two hours posing in front of the camera, Kumar got Rs. 5,000, compared to his previous monthly salary of Rs. 4,000. That was one of the main reasons why he chose to be a model. After a couple of months of modelling, Kumar was offered a lead role by producer Pramod Chakravarthy for the movie ''Deedar''.

Career

1990s

Kumar made his Bollywood acting debut with the 1991 film ''Saugandh'', which was followed by the 1992 thriller film ''Khiladi''. In 1994, his action films ''Main Khiladi Tu Anari'' and ''Mohra'' were among the highest grossing films of the year. Later that year, Yash Chopra signed him for the romantic film ''Yeh Dillagi'' which was also a success. He received appreciation for his performance in this film, where he played a romantic role which was different compared to his action roles. He would consequently receive his first nominations for ''Best Actor'' award at the Filmfare and Star Screen ceremonies. During the same year, Kumar also had success with films like ''Suhaag'' and the low budget action film ''Elaan''. All these achievements, promoted Kumar as one of the most successful actors of that year.

In 1995, along with his share of unsuccessful movies, he starred in the third film in his ''Khiladi'' series ''Sabse Bada Khiladi'', which was a hit. He proved to have success with the ''Khiladi'' series, as in the next year he starred in the fourth successful film with ''Khiladi'' in the title, ''Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi'' opposite Rekha and Raveena Tandon. The film became one of the highest grossing films of the year.

In 1997, Kumar was seen in a supporting role in Yash Chopra's hit film ''Dil To Pagal Hai'', for which he received a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award nomination. In the same year, he attempted a comedy role with the fifth film in the Khiladi series, ''Mr and Mrs Khiladi''. Unlike his previous films with ''Khiladi'' in the title, the film failed commercially. In the same way as this film, his next ''Khiladi'' releases in the following years went on to fail at the box office. In 1999, Kumar received critical acclaim for his roles in the films ''Sangharsh'' and ''Jaanwar''. Whilst the former did not make a profit at the box office, the latter turned out to be a success.

2000s

In 2000, he starred in the comedy ''Hera Pheri'' (2000) which was a commercial success. He also starred in the romantic film ''Dhadkan'' later that same year which performed moderately at the box office. That same year, he performed some of his most dangerous stunts in ''Khiladi 420'', where he climbed a running plane, stood on top of the plane flying a thousand feet in the air, and jumped from the plane onto a hot air balloon. In a later scene, he is also seen being chased by a car, dodging bullets, jumping off buildings, and climbing walls. In 2001, Kumar played a negative role in the film ''Ajnabee''. The film won him much acclaim as well as his first Filmfare Award for Best Villain. Kumar played a role as role as a blind man in ''Aankhen''.

Following ''Hera Pheri'', Kumar starred in a number of comedy films, including ''Awara Paagal Deewana'' (2002) and ''Mujhse Shaadi Karogi'' (2004). and ''Garam Masala'' (2005). The films succeeded at the box office and his performance in the latter earned him his second Filmfare Award, for Best Comedian. Apart from his action, comedy and romantic roles, Kumar displayed a flair for dramatic roles in films such as ''Ek Rishtaa'' (2001), ''Aankhen'' (2002), ''Bewafaa'' (2005) and ''Waqt: The Race Against Time'' (2005).

In 2006 he starred in a sequel to ''Hera Pheri'' titled ''Phir Hera Pheri''. As was the former, the sequel became a huge success at the box office. Later that year he starred alongside Salman Khan in the romantic musical ''Jaan-E-Mann''. The film was a well anticipated release, and despite receiving positive reviews from critics, did not do as well as expected at the box office. Though the film under-performed, his role as a shy, lovable nerd was praised. He ended the year with the comedy ''Bhagam Bhag'', which was a success. In that same year, he led the ''Heat 2006'' world tour along with fellow stars Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.

2007 proved to be Kumar's most successful year during his career in the industry, and as described by box office analysts, "probably the best ever recorded by an actor, with four outright hits and no flops." His first release, ''Namastey London'', was critically and commercially successful, and his performance earned him a Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare. Critic Taran Adarsh wrote of his performance in the film, "he's sure to win the hearts of millions of moviegoers with a terrific portrayal in this film." His next two releases, ''Heyy Babyy'' and ''Bhool Bhulaiyaa'', were box office successes as well. Kumar's last release of the year, ''Welcome'', did extremely well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster status and simultaneously becoming his fifth successive hit. All of Kumar's films which released that year did well in the overseas market as well.

Kumar's first film of 2008, ''Tashan'', marked his comeback to the Yash Raj Films banner after 11 years. Although much anticipated by the public, the film was a critical and commercial failure. His second film, ''Singh Is Kinng'' was a huge success at the box office and broke the first-week worldwide record of ''Om Shanti Om'', the previous highest figure. His next film was the animated film ''Jumbo''. The year also saw Kumar making his small screen debut as the host of the successful show ''Fear Factor – Khatron Ke Khiladi''. He later returned to host the show's second season in 2009.

In 2009, Kumar featured opposite Deepika Padukone in the Warner Bros.-Rohan Sippy production ''Chandni Chowk to China''. Directed by Nikhil Advani, the film was a critical and commercial failure at the box office. Kumar's next release was ''8 x 10 Tasveer''. Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, the film was a critical and commercial failure. His next release was ''Kambakkht Ishq''. Kumar's film ''Blue'' was released on 16 October 2009. ''Blue'' collected about Rs. 42 crores at the box-office. His release in 2009 was Priyadarshan's ''De Dana Dan''.

He then appeared in the 2010 comedy, ''Housefull'', directed by Sajid Khan which garnered the second-highest opening weekend collection of all time. Kumar's next release was ''Khatta Meetha'', directed by Priyadarshan which was an average grosser. He also appeared in Vipul Shah's ''Action Replayy'', which was a box office failure. He is co-producing a film with Russell Peters called ''Breakaway'' which is reminiscent of his own ''Patiala House''. Akshay Kumar, recently dubbed for the Hindi version of Hollywood, action blockbuster, ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''. Akshay dubbed for the role of 'Optimus Prime', which is one of the key characters in the film. He took the dubbing role for his son, Aarav, and did so for free.

Personal life

Kumar earlier dated several of his colleagues, such as Shilpa Shetty and Raveena Tandon. After being engaged twice to actress Twinkle Khanna, the daughter of actors Rajesh Khanna and Dimple Kapadia, he married her on 14 January 2001. Their son named Aarav was born in September 2002. He stays in shape with a combination of kickboxing, basketball, swimming and other sports, as well as working out at the gym.

Awards and nominations

Filmography

Actor

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1991	''Saugandh''	Shiva
		Raja
''Mr Bond''	Mr. Bond
''Khiladi''	Raj Malhotra
	Anand Malhotra
	''Ashaant''	Vijay
''Vishnu Vijay''	Vijay	Kannada version of ''Ashaant''
''Dil Ki Baazi''	Vijay
''Kayda Kanoon''	Daud
''Waqt Hamara Hai''	Vikas Sabkuchwala
''Sainik''	Suraj Dutt
		Vishal Chaudhry
''Yeh Dillagi''	Vijay Saigal	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
''Jai Kishen''	Jai Verma/Kishen
''Mohra''	Amar Saxena
''Main Khiladi Tu Anari''	Karan Joglekar
''Ikke Pe Ikka''	Rajiv
	Amar
	Raj
''Nazar Ke Samne''	Jai Kumar
	Jaidev Anand
''Zaalim''	Ravi
''Hum Hain Bemisaal''	Vijay Sinha
	''Paandav''	Vijay
''Maidan-E-Jung''	Karan
''Sabse Bada Khiladi''	Vijay Kumar/Lallu
	''Tu Chor Main Sipahi''	Amar Varma
''Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi''	Akshay Malhotra
''Sapoot''	Prem
		Sikandar Davai
''Insaaf: The Final Justice''	Vikram
''Daava''	Arjun
''Tarazu''	Inspector Ram Yadav
''Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi''	Raja
''Dil To Pagal Hai''	Ajay	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
	Rocky/Raja
	''Keemat: They Are Back''	Dev
''Angaaray''	Amar
''Barood''	Jai Sharma
	''Aarzoo''	Vijay Khanna
''International Khiladi''	Rahul "Devraj"
''Zulmi''	Raj
	Professor Aman Varma
	Badshah/Babu Lohaar
		Raju
''Dhadkan''	Ram
''Khiladi 420''	Dev Kumar/Anand Kumar
	''Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love''	Ajay Kapoor
	Vikram Bajaj	Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role
	''Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya''	Raj Malhotra
	Vishwas Prajapati
''Awara Paagal Deewana''	Guru Gulab Khatri
''Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani''	Atul
	''Talaash: The Hunt Begins...''	Arjun
''Andaaz''	Raj Malhotra
	''Ghar Grihasti''		Special appearance
''Khakee''	Sr. Inspector Shekhar Verma	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
''Police Force: An Inside Story''	Vijay Singh
''Aan: Men at Work''	DCP Hari Om Patnaik
''Meri Biwi Ka Jawaab Nahin''	Inspector Ajay
''Mujhse Shaadi Karogi''	Arun "Sunny"	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role
''Hatya: The Murder''	Ravi
''Aitraaz''	Raj Malhotra
''Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo''	Major Rajeev
		Amjad
''Bewafaa''	Raja
''Waqt: The Race Against Time''	Aditya Thakur
	Makrand "Mac"	Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role
''Deewane Huye Paagal''	Rocky Hiranandani
''Dosti: Friends Forever''	Raj Malhotra
	''Family - Ties of Blood''	Shekhar Bhatia
	Vicky
''Humko Deewana Kar Gaye''	Aditiya Malhotra
''Phir Hera Pheri''	Raju
''Jaan-E-Mann''	Agastya Rao "Champu"
''Bhagam Bhag''	Bunty
	''Namastey London''	Arjun Singh	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
''Heyy Babyy''	Arush Mehra
''Bhool Bhulaiyaa''	Dr. Aditiya Shrivastav
	Himself	Special appearance
	Rajiv Saini
		Bachchan Pande
''Singh Is Kinng''	Happy Singh
	Jumbo
	''Chandni Chowk to China''	Sidhu Sharma
''8 X 10 Tasveer''	Jai Puri/Jeet
''Kambakkht Ishq''	Viraj Shergill
	Aarav Malhotra
''De Dana Dan''	Nitin Bankar
	''Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai''	Himself	Special appearance
	Aarush
	Sachin Tichkule
''Action Replayy''	Kishen
''Tees Maar Khan''	Tabrez Mirza Khan (Tees Maar Khan)
	''Patiala House''	Parghat Singh Kahlon "Gattu"
	Kishen
''Chalo Dilli''	Vikram Rathore	Guest appearance as Mihika's (lara) husband
	Himself	Special appearance in song ''Shera Di Kaum''
''Desi Boyz''		Filming
			Filming
	Aarush	Filming
''Rowdy Rathore''	Vikram Singh Rathore	Filming

Television appearances

''Khatron Ke Khiladi - Season 1'' (2008) - Host

''Khatron Ke Khiladi - Season 2'' (2009) - Host

''Amul Master Chef - Season 1'' (2010) - Host

''Khatron Ke Khiladi - Season 4'' (2011) - Host

See also

List of Indian Actors

References

External links

Category:1967 births Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Hindi film actors Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film actors Category:Indian game show hosts Category:Indian Hindus Category:Indian martial artists Category:Living people Category:Punjabi people Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri

ar:أكشاي كومار bn:অক্ষয় কুমার de:Akshay Kumar el:Αξάι Κουμάρ fa:آکشی کومار fr:Akshay Kumar gu:અક્ષય કુમાર hi:अक्षय कुमार id:Akshay Kumar it:Akshay Kumar he:אקשאיי קומאר kn:ಅಕ್ಷಯ್ ಕುಮಾರ್ ml:അക്ഷയ് കുമാർ mr:अक्षय कुमार ms:Akshay Kumar nl:Akshay Kumar ps:اکشې کمار pl:Akshay Kumar ru:Кумар, Акшай fi:Akshay Kumar sv:Akshay Kumar ta:அக்சே குமார் te:అక్షయ్ కుమార్ th:อักษัย กุมาร tg:Акшай Кумар zh:阿克夏·庫馬

Coordinates	29°57′53″N90°4′14″N
name	Ritesh Deshmukh
birth date	December 17, 1978
birth name	Ritesh Deshmukh
birth place	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
spouse	None
occupation	Actor, Television presenter
yearsactive	2003–present
website	http://www.riteshdeshmukh.net }}

Ritesh Deshmukh (, born 17 December 1978 in Mumbai, Maharashtra) is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films. He is the son of Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of India, and the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Deshmukh debuted with K. Vijaya Bhaskar's ''Tujhe Meri Kasam'' (2003), but it was not until 2004 that he achieved success, when he appeared in the commercially successful comedy ''Masti'' and the critically acclaimed ''Bardaasht''. His work in ''Masti'' was nominated for several awards, including the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor category. He later starred in films such as ''Heyy Babyy'', ''Dhamaal'', ''Rann'' and ''House Full''.

Career

Deshmukh was born in a Marathi family. He made his debut in 2003 with ''Tujhe Meri Kasam'' co-starring Genelia D'souza which performed average at the box office. He then played the lead role in ''Out of Control''. He became a known face after the 2004 comedy ''Masti'', again co-starring Genelia, which established him as an supporting actor. Later, he appeared in a special role in ''Bardaasht''.

He has mainly taken on comic roles and a few serious roles. He has appeared in several comedy films including ''Kyaa Kool Hai Hum'', ''Malamaal Weekly'' and ''Apna Sapna Money Money''. He appeared in a supporting role in ''Bluffmaster!'' with Abhishek Bachchan in the lead. He was also seen in Ram Gopal Verma's ''Darna Zaroori Hai''.

In 2007, he was first seen in a guest appearance in ''Namastey London'' and then in the multi-starrer action film ''Cash'' which was a box office failure. Later that year, he appeared in Sajid Khan's directorial debut ''Heyy Babyy'', co-starring Akshay Kumar and Fardeen Khan, which was a huge hit and is his most commercially successful film to date. He also appeared in the comedy film ''Dhamaal'' in 2007.

In 2008, he appeared in ''De Taali'', in which his performance was praised, and later in ''Chamku'', both of which failed at the box office.

In 2009, his first release was ''Aladin'', co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Jacqueline Fernandez. He then played a supporting role in Ram Gopal Varma's ''Rann'', again co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, Paresh Rawal and Rajpal Yadav. His final film of 2009 was ''Do Knot Disturb'' along with Govinda, Sushmita Sen, Sohail Khan and Lara Dutta. In 2010, he once again worked with Sajid Khan on the comedy ''Housefull'' along with Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Arjun Rampal and Jiah Khan.

His first release of 2011 was ''F.A.L.T.U.'', where he played a school principal named Bajirao. His second release of the year was the comedy ''Double Dhamaal'', a sequel to the 2006 film ''Dhamaal''. He is currently working on another sequel, ''Housefull 2''.

Filmography

''Masti: Sanam Teri Kasam ''Kya Kool Hai Hum'' ''Apna Sapna Money Money'' ''Namastey London'' ''Aao Wish Karein'' ''Do Knot Disturb'' ''Rann (film) ''F.A.L.T.U.'' ''Kyaa Kool Hai Hum 2''

Year !! Title !! Role !! Other notes
rowspan="2"	2003	''Tujhe Meri Kasam''	Rishi
''Out of Control (2003 film)	Out of Control''	Jaswinder
rowspan="3"	2004	Masti'' ||	Amar	Nominated, Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
''Bardaasht''	Anuj
''Naach (film)	Naach''	Diwakar
rowspan="4"	2005	|	Karan
''Mr Ya Miss''	Shekhar
''Home Delivery: Aapko... Ghar Tak''	Party Man
''Bluffmaster!''	Dittu / Arjun
rowspan="4"	2006	|	Kishan
''Darna Zaroori Hai''	Student
''Malamaal Weekly''	Kanhayia
''Fight Club - Members Only''	Somil
rowspan="5"	2007	|	Bobby Bedi	Guest Appearance
''Cash (2007 film)	Cash''	Lucky
''Heyy Babyy''	Tanmay Joglekar/Eddy Teddy
''Dhamaal''	Deshbandhu Roy
''Om Shanti Om''	Himself
rowspan="3"	2008	|	Bonny	Uncredited
''De Taali''	Paglu/Paresh
''Chamku''	Arjun
rowspan="3"	2009	|	Govardhan
''Aladin (2009 film)	Aladin''	Aladin Chatterji
''Kal Kissne Dekha''	Kali Charan
rowspan="3"	2010	Rann'' ||	Purab Shastri
''Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai''	Rajesh Parekh
''Housefull (film)	Housefull''	Bob
rowspan="3"	2011	|	Bajirao
''Double Dhamaal''	Roy
''Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya''
rowspan="2"	2012	|		Filming - Releasing 7 April 2012
''Housefull 2 (2012 film)	Housefull 2

Television

He hosted the IIFA Awards three times (2008–2010) with Boman Irani and Lara Dutta in 2009 and 2010, He also hosted the 2011 IIFA Awards once again in Toronto along with Boman Irani.

Awards

{|class="wikitable" border="1" style="font-size: 90%;" ; |- style="text-align:center;" |- style="text-align:center;" ! style="background:#ccc;" | Year ! style="background:#ccc;" | Award ! style="background:#ccc;" | Category ! style="background:#ccc;" | Film ! style="background:#ccc;" | Result |- | 2004 | Star Screen Awards | Most Promising Newcomer - Male | ''Tujhe Meri Kasam'' | |- | 2004 | Zee Cine Awards | Best Male Debut | ''Tujhe Meri Kasam'' & ''Out of Control'' | |- | 2005 | Star Screen Awards | Best Comedian | ''Masti'' | |- | 2005 | Zee Cine Awards | Best Comedian | ''Masti'' | |- | 2005 | IIFA Awards | Best Comedian | ''Masti'' | |- | 2006 | Stardust Awards | Best Supporting Actor Award | ''Kyaa Kool Hai Hum'' | |- | 2006 | Zee Cine Awards | Best Comedian | ''Bluffmaster'' | |- | 2006 | IIFA Awards | Best Comedian | ''Bluffmaster!'' | |- | 2008 | Zee Cine Awards | Entertainer of the Year | | |- | 2011 | IIFA Awards | Best Performance in a Comic Role | ''Housefull'' | |- |}

References

External links

Ritesh Deshmukh on Facebook

Category:Living people Category:Indian film actors Category:People from Latur Category:People from Maharashtra Category:Indian Hindus Category:1978 births Category:Marathi people Category:Indian actors Category:Hindi film actors Category:Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute alumni

de:Ritesh Deshmukh fr:Ritesh Deshmukh id:Ritesh Deshmukh it:Ritesh Deshmukh ml:റിതേഷ് ദേശ്‌മുഖ് mr:रितेश देशमुख pl:Riteish Deshmukh th:ริเตศ เทศมุข

Coordinates	29°57′53″N90°4′14″N
name	Zarine Khan
othername	Zareen Khan
birth date	May 14, 1988
birth place	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
occupation	Model, actress
yearsactive	2010–present }}

Zarine Khan () is an Indian actress and model who appears in Bollywood films. She made her acting debut in the 2010 period film ''Veer'' co-starring with Salman Khan. Khan has been noted for looks very similar to actress Katrina Kaif.

Early life

Khan was born to a Pashtun family in Mumbai on 14 May 1988. She speaks fluent Hindi and Marathi. In college she weighed almost 100 kg (220 lb). Although she never planned to be a model, she began to focus on losing weight and getting into shape. In order to lose weight, she began to work out, eventually reaching her target weight. Her family's financial troubles forced Khan to abandon her education and begin working. With no marketable skills, she tried her hand at modeling. Khan did a number of small assignments that fetched her enough money to run her family.

Acting career

Khan's acting career began while visiting the set of ''Yuvraaj'' at Subhash Ghai's film school Whistling Woods. Salman Khan noticed her and decided to cast her for his film ''Veer'' because, he said, "She looks the character - the sweet princess she is playing in Veer". After a screen test, Khan was given the role of Princess Yashodhara. She gained eight kilograms in order to be more convincing as a 19th century princess. Because of ''Veer'''s poor box office performance, Khan at first had trouble finding roles in big-budget films. In 2011, she made a cameo appearance in Anees Bazmee's ''Ready'', parodying characters from ''Mughal-e-Azam'', ''Sholay'' and ''Shri 420''. Her upcoming films include ''Housefull 2'' and ''Partner 2''.

Filmography

Princess Yashodhara ''Ready (2011 film) ''Karikalan (film)

style="background:#B0C4DE;"	Year	Film	Role	Language	Notes
rowspan="1"	2010	Veer (film)>Veer''	|	Hindi
rowspan="1"	2011	Ready'' ||	Khushi	Hindi	Cameo & Item number in the song ''"Character Dheela"''
rowspan="3"	2012	Karikalan'' ||		Tamil	Filming
''Housefull 2 (2012 film)	Housefull 2''	|	Hindi	Filming
''Partner 2''	|	Hindi	Pre-production

See also

List of Indian film actresses

References

External links

Zarine Khan - Bollywood Hungama

Category:Hindi film actors Category:Living people Category:Indian film actors Category:Indian actors Category:People from Mumbai Category:Indian female models Category:Pashtun people Category:Indian Muslims Category:1988 births

es:Zarine Khan fr:Zarine Khan

Coordinates	29°57′53″N90°4′14″N
name	Preity Zinta
birth date	January 31, 1975
birth place	Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
years active	1998–present
partner	Ness Wadia (2005–09)
occupation	Film actress }}

Preity Zinta (, pronounced ; born 31 January 1975) is an Indian film actress. She has appeared in Hindi films of Bollywood, as well as Telugu, Punjabi and English language films. After graduating with a degree in criminal psychology, Zinta made her acting debut in ''Dil Se'' in 1998 followed by a role in ''Soldier'' the same year. These performances earned her a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut, and she was later recognised for her role as a teenage single mother in ''Kya Kehna'' (2000). She subsequently played a variety of character types; her film roles along with her screen persona contributed to a change in the concept of a Hindi film heroine.

Zinta received a Filmfare Award for Best Actress in 2003 for her performance in the drama ''Kal Ho Naa Ho''. She went on to play the lead female role in two consecutive annual top-grossing films in India: the science fiction film ''Koi... Mil Gaya'' (2003), her biggest commercial success, and the star-crossed romance ''Veer-Zaara'' (2004), which earned her critical acclaim. She was later noted for her portrayal of independent, modern Indian women in ''Salaam Namaste'' (2005) and ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' (2006), top-grossing productions in overseas markets. These accomplishments have established her as a leading actress of Hindi cinema. Her first international film role was in the Canadian film ''Heaven on Earth'', for which she was awarded the Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.

In addition to movie acting, Zinta has written a series of columns for BBC News Online South Asia, is a social activist, a television presenter, and a regular stage performer. She is the founder of the production company PZNZ Media and, along with ex-boyfriend Ness Wadia, a co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kings XI Punjab. She is known in the Indian media for publicly speaking her mind and openly expressing her opinions, and consequently has sparked the occasional controversy. These controversies include her being the only witness not to retract in court her earlier statements against the Indian mafia during the 2003 Bharat Shah case, for which she was awarded the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Award.

Early life and background

Zinta was born into a Hindu Rajput family from Rohru in Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh. Her father, Durganand Zinta, was an officer in the Indian Army. He died in a car accident when she was 13 years old; the accident also involved her mother, Nilprabha, who was severely injured and consequently remained bedridden for two years. Zinta called the tragic accident and her father's death a significant turning point in her life, which forced her to mature rapidly. She has two brothers; Deepankar and Manish, a year older and a year younger respectively. Deepankar is a commissioned officer in the Indian Army, while Manish lives in California.

Zinta, who describes herself as a tomboy as a child, has emphasised her father's military background as having a lasting impression on how family life was conducted. He asserted the importance of discipline and punctuality to the children. She studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary boarding school in Shimla. Although she confesses to loneliness in the boarding school, she noted that it was compensated by her finding a "... perfect set of friends" there. As a student, she developed a love for literature, particularly the works of William Shakespeare and poetry. According to Zinta, she enjoyed schoolwork and received good grades; in her free time she played sports, especially basketball.

Upon graduating from the boarding school at age 18, Zinta enrolled at St Bede's College in Shimla. She graduated college with an English honours degree, and then started a graduate programme in psychology. She earned a postgraduate degree in criminal psychology, but later took up modelling. Zinta's first television commercial was for ''Perk chocolates'', the result of a chance meeting with a director at a friend's birthday party in 1996. The director persuaded Zinta to audition for the spot, and she was selected. Afterwards, she appeared in other catalogues and commercials, including one for the soap Liril.

Acting career

Early work (1997–99)

In 1997, Zinta met film-maker Shekhar Kapur when she accompanied a friend to an audition, and was asked if she would audition too. Upon seeing her audition, Kapur insisted that she become an actress. She was originally scheduled to make her screen debut in Kapur's ''Tara Rum Pum Pum'' opposite Hrithik Roshan, but the filming was cancelled. Kapur later recommended her for director Mani Ratnam's movie ''Dil Se''. Zinta often recalls that when she joined the film industry, her friends teased her that she would typically "wear white saris and dance in the rain", thereby motivating her to play different parts.

Zinta commenced shooting for Kundan Shah's ''Kya Kehna'', whose release was delayed until 2000. The delay of another film, ''Soldier'', meant that her first release was ''Dil Se'' (1998) opposite Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. She was introduced as Preeti Nair, a middle-class Delhi girl and Khan's fiancée. The film was considered an unusual launch for a newcomer, as her role called for only 20 minutes of screen time. However, she was eventually noticed for her role, particularly for the forthright character she played. Her scene with Khan, in which she asked him, "Are you a virgin?", became well-known, and her portrayal earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award nomination. She played her first leading role in the action-drama ''Soldier'' (1998), a commercial hit of the year. She won the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award for her performance in both ''Dil Se'' and ''Soldier''.

Zinta next acted in two Telugu films, ''Premante Idera'' (1998), opposite Venkatesh; and ''Raja Kumarudu'' (1999), opposite Mahesh Babu. She followed with the leading role in the thriller ''Sangharsh'', alongside Akshay Kumar. The film, based on ''The Silence of the Lambs'' (1991), was directed by Tanuja Chandra and written by Mahesh Bhatt. Zinta portrayed the character of Reet Oberoi, a CBI officer who falls in love with a captured killer played by Kumar. The film was not a box-office success, although Zinta's performance was appreciated by critics.

Breakthrough (2000–02)

Zinta's first role in 2000 was in the drama ''Kya Kehna'', which unexpectedly became a box-office success. The film addressed themes of single parenthood and teenage pregnancy, and gained Zinta wider recognition from the public as well as film critics. Her portrayal of a teenage single mother who fights social prejudice earned her several award nominations, including her first nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards. ''India Today'' reported that Zinta belonged to a new breed of Hindi film actors that breaks away from character stereotypes.

Later that year, Zinta starred in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's drama ''Mission Kashmir'' alongside Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan. Set in the valley of Kashmir during the Indo-Pakistani conflicts, the film dealt with the topic of terrorism and crime. Zinta's role was that of Sufiya Parvez, a TV reporter and Roshan's childhood love. A review in ''The Hindu'' said about her performance, "Preity Zinta is her usual cherubic self and lends colour to the otherwise serious proceedings". It was an economic success, becoming the third-highest grossing film of the year in India.

In 2001, Zinta earned positive reviews for her role in Farhan Akhtar's National Film Award-winning ''Dil Chahta Hai'', co-starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna. Depicting the contemporary routine life of Indian affluent youth, it is set in modern-day urban Mumbai and focuses on a major period of transition in the lives of three young friends. Zinta starred as Aamir Khan's love interest, Shalini. According to critics, the film broke new ground by showing Indian youth as they are today. Despite the critical reception, it was only a moderate box office success in India; it performed well in the big cities but failed in the rural areas, which was attributed by critics to the urban-oriented lifestyle depicted in the movie. Rediff.com wrote of Zinta that she "... is beautiful and vibrant, wavering between endearingly naive and confused".

Three more 2001 releases featured Zinta, including Abbas-Mustan's romantic drama ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'', which was released after a one-year delay due to the trial of producer Bharat Shah. This film was one of the first Bollywood movies to address the controversial issue of surrogate childbirth. Zinta's performance as Madhubala, a golden-hearted prostitute hired as a surrogate mother, earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress nomination. Rediff.com noted, "Preity Zinta, who clearly has the meatiest part of all, makes the best of it. Her transformation from the cocky and unabashed prostitute to a sensitive and warm person is amazingly believable." Following her portrayal of a range of characters in ''Kya Kehna'', ''Sangharsh'' and ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'', Zinta gained a reputation for playing roles that go against Indian traditional mores and was often recognised for her versatility as an actress. Critics attributed her roles in these films as to establishing a new image for leading actresses in Bollywood.

In 2002, Zinta collaborated once again with director Kundan Shah, as the protagonist in the family drama ''Dil Hai Tumhaara'', alongside Rekha, Mahima Chaudhry and Arjun Rampal. Although the film did not succeed at the box office, her portrayal of Shalu, an adopted daughter craving love, was critically acclaimed. Taran Adarsh from ''indiaFM'' noted, "... Preity Zinta, in an author-backed role ... steals the show with a sterling performance. Her scenes with Rekha (second half) and Alok Nath (pre-climax) are simply outstanding. Here's a performance that is sure to win accolades from the junta and critics whole-heartedly."

Success (2003–07)

Zinta was the female lead in India's three highest-grossing films of 2003: ''The Hero: Love Story of a Spy'', ''Koi... Mil Gaya'' and ''Kal Ho Naa Ho''. ''The Hero'', co-starring Sunny Deol and Priyanka Chopra, is a patriotic drama about a spy network involving terrorists and an Indian army officer. Zinta played the part of Reshma, a villager who falls in love with the officer and becomes part of this network. The film, involving stunts never seen before in the cinematic history of Bollywood, became the most expensive Hindi film ever produced at the time. Despite being the third highest-grossing film of that year, it failed to recover its production costs at the box office. She next starred in Honey Irani's directorial debut, ''Armaan'', alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. This drama is set in a hospital and follows the travails of its personnel and its principal, Dr. Akash, who struggles arduously to sustain the institution financially. Zinta played Akash's schizophrenic wife Sonia Kapoor. The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Zinta was particularly praised. ''The Tribune'' concluded, "Zinta has outclassed everyone with her convincing performance." For her performance, she received nominations for Best Villain at different award ceremonies, including Filmfare.

Rakesh Roshan's science-fiction film ''Koi... Mil Gaya'', about a developmentally disabled young man, followed. Co-starring with Rekha and Hrithik Roshan, Zinta played the role of Nisha, a young woman whom Roshan befriends. She received another Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare for the role. The movie was a financial and critical success and became the most popular film of the year, as well as Zinta's highest-grossing movie, with a domestic total of Rs 425 million; it won the Filmfare Award for Best Movie, among others.

Zinta's final release of 2003 was ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'', a tearjerker set in New York City. It was directed by Nikhil Advani and written by Karan Johar, co-starring Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan. The film was received favourably by critics and became India's second-biggest hit of the year after ''Koi... Mil Gaya''. It also did well internationally and became India's top-grossing film of the year overseas, earning over Rs 750 million worldwide. Zinta played the role of Naina Catherine Kapur, an insecure and angry young Indian-American woman who falls in love with a man who has a fatal heart disease. She won several awards for her performance, including the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Derek Elley from ''Variety'' wrote, "Zinta, who's been carving a growing following the past three years or so, has never been better, definitively moving from juve roles to a charismatic young woman with her sexy, assured Naina."

In 2004 she starred as TV journalist Romila Dutta in Farhan Akhtar's war drama ''Lakshya'', co-starring with Hrithik Roshan. The film was based on the historical events of the 1999 Kargil Conflict; Zinta's character was modelled after TV journalist Barkha Dutt, the only female reporter assigned to the story. The film was a critical success, yet her performance received mixed reviews; Rediff.com noted, "Zinta has quite a good role and a good deal of footage in the film, and she does a fairly decent job of it without ever being spectacular." Later that year, Yash Chopra cast her opposite Shahrukh Khan as the female lead in the love saga ''Veer-Zaara'', the top-grossing Hindi film of that year in both India and abroad, with revenues of over Rs 900 million worldwide. The film, which relates the love story of an Indian officer, Veer Pratap Singh, and a Pakistani woman, Zaara Haayat Khan, had a strong international release, including a screening at the Berlin Film Festival, and won several Best Movie awards at major Indian award functions. For her portrayal of Zaara, a smart Pakistani girl, Zinta received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination. ''Variety'' hailed her as "the most interesting young actress of her generation," writing that she "is her usual lively self as the willful Zaara." ''Veer-Zaara'' was Zinta's second highest-grossing film and third major success in two consecutive years. It marked the beginning of her work with Yash Raj Films, one of the largest production houses in Bollywood.

In 2005, Zinta appeared in two movies. Her first release was the folk comedy ''Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen'', co-starring Govinda, a production that had been delayed since 2002. The film garnered negative reviews and poor box office returns. Zinta's role was small, and was not well received. Her next release was Siddharth Anand's comedy-drama ''Salaam Namaste'', co-starring Saif Ali Khan. Produced by Yash Raj Films, it was the first Indian feature to be filmed entirely in Australia and went on to become the year's highest-grossing Bollywood production outside of India, earning Rs 570 million internationally. The film tells the story of a contemporary cohabiting Indian couple and their subsequent struggle with an unexpected pregnancy. Zinta played the female protagonist Ambar Malhotra, a single modern young woman who leaves India to make her own life in Australia. The film was well received by critics, and Zinta's performance earned her nominations for Best Actress at a number of award ceremonies. Taran Adarsh wrote, "After ''Kya Kehna'', Preity Zinta accepts the challenge of portraying an unwed mother yet again in ''Salaam Namaste''. The actor is terrific, delivering her most accomplished performance to date." ''The New York Times'' noted, "She is cheerleader-homecoming queen-fraternity sweetheart pretty, so even when her characters are being unkind it's hard not to like her."

Zinta received further success in 2006, starring in Karan Johar's drama ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' with an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Kirron Kher. The film became one of the biggest box office hits in India, earning Rs 458 million, and grossed over Rs 480 million abroad, the biggest Bollywood success of all-time in the overseas market up until then. It was her fourth overseas top-earner in four consecutive years. The film tells the story of two unhappily married couples in New York, and an ensuing extramarital affair. Zinta played the role of Rhea Saran, an ambitious fashion magazine editor. She described the role as an attempt to shed her vivacious public image. ''The Indian Express'' concurred that this was successful: "The lady has not just looked glamorous but she has walked with poise, sat with grace, smiled with composure and spoke with calmness. Who would have thought that the bubbly girl could so skilfully shed her age-old tag and walk away as the don't-mess-with-me lass. So all those who are in search of the peppy Preity, well guys you've dialed the wrong number this time."

She then starred in Shirish Kunder's romantic musical ''Jaan-E-Mann'', a story set in the United States about two men, played by Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, who love the same woman. The film opened to mixed reviews from critics and its eventual box-office profit was poor. Zinta played the role of Piya, the cynosure of two men. She was mostly criticised for taking a role of minimal importance, though her performance was generally well-received. Raja Sen labelled her role an "ornament throughout," but further stated that she "comes vividly alive in the film's last scene, a moment that makes you lament why filmmakers today don't let the babyfaced actress have more fun instead of forcing her to sob copiously. She doesn't have much to do in ''Jaan-E-Mann'', but looks appropriately attractive." Zinta said that the film was a great relief after the more emotionally intense ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'', as ''Jaan-E-Mann'' was "easy, happy and much more simple".

In 2007 Zinta portrayed a British Pakistani woman, Alvira Khan, in her third project with Yash Raj Films, Shaad Ali's comedy ''Jhoom Barabar Jhoom'', alongside Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol and Lara Dutta. The film was a critical and commercial failure in India. She was criticised for her performance; ''The Times of India'' described her as "too plastic" and Rediff.com concluded, "From accent to emotion, Preity is plain and simple insufferable in this film."

New career prospects (2007–present)

In 2007, following the failure of two of her commercial releases, Zinta began working with art film directors, and turned towards neo-realistic movies, known in India as parallel cinema. She acted in her first English film, Rituparno Ghosh's ''The Last Lear'', as a struggling film actress opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The film premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, and was received well. The first reviews were approving, with Rajeev Masand writing, "Preity Zinta gets through her scenes competently, never allowing her cute-as-a-button image to take away from the impact she makes here as a conflicted, mature woman." Zinta said about her first art film, "I did think with art films that they don't pay you, they don't feed you, but I was wrong, and I'm so happy to be here."

Zinta next starred in Samir Karnik's ''Heroes'' (2008), a road movie about two final-year film students who, as a part of their assignment, travel a thousand miles across North India to deliver three un-posted letters written by army personnel who lost their lives during the 1999 Kargil war to their families. The story unfolds the journey of these students in three chapters and follows how they meet and are inspired by the families of the soldiers. Zinta is featured in the first chapter as Salman Khan's war widow, Kuljeet Kaur, a woman who becomes the sole breadwinner of the family and single-handedly raises her son. In preparation for the role, Zinta attended Anupam Kher's acting school, "Actor Prepares", to learn the dialect and mannerisms of a Punjabi woman. The film was released to a mixed critical reaction, but her performance received rave reviews; Anand Singh of ''Hindustan Times'' wrote, "Karnik is merely interested in wringing tears the old-fashioned way, and not in starting a debate. He succeeds—mainly because Preity Zinta brings to a role a gravitas and dignity that is seen on the faces of ordinary women—this may be her coming of age as an actress."

By April 2008, Zinta completed shooting for Jahnu Barua's drama ''Har Pal''. In the same year she played the leading role of Chand in Deepa Mehta's Canadian film ''Heaven on Earth'', a Punjabi language drama based on the true story of a young Indian woman who, post an arranged marriage to a non-resident Indian man from Canada, migrates to Toronto and becomes a victim of severe domestic abuse. The film displays magical realism and mysticism through Chand's isolation and suffering as she creates an alternative reality in order to survive. Zinta described Mehta as one director she had been longing to work with. To prepare for the role, she read and watched several books and documentaries on domestic violence. As the film was to be shot entirely in Punjabi, a language that was totally alien to her, she learnt it in a crash course of fifty days. She was emotional during the making of the film: "I never knew a character would effect me so deeply. I've become completely withdrawn and introspective... I can't snap out of the character." She eventually termed it as her most challenging project, as it helped her "shed everything that Preity Zinta was about." ''Heaven on Earth'' was first screened at several film festivals and, upon release, garnered career-best reviews for Zinta. Her performance earned her the Best Actress (Silver Hugo) award at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival, for "her strong yet subtle performance as a woman struggling to keep her dreams despite brutal realities." Among other awards, she was acknowledged with Best Actress nominations at several award functions in Canada, including the Genie Award by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and the Vancouver Film Critics Circle.

Following ''Heaven On Earth'', Zinta took a two-year sabbatical from movies, later explaining that she had chosen to focus on her work with her cricket team. In 2011 she launched her own production company, PZNZ Media. She is set to star in the first film produced under the banner, ''Ishkq in Paris'', a romantic comedy directed by Prem Soni. An Indo-French collaboration, the film will have Zinta portraying a half-Indian half-French Parisian woman and will co-star several Indian and French actors. Zinta's role required her to learn French and follow a strict diet and fitness regime, for which she hired the services of celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson. As of August 2011, ''Ishkq in Paris'' is slated for release in 2012.

Other work

Column writing

In 2004, Zinta joined a group of South Asian commentators for BBC News Online. She expressed joy at participating in the project, saying, "I am pretty outspoken and have my own view on every subject. So it will be a good platform for me to air my views." Her first column, "The changing face of Bollywood", published in January 2004, discussed the evolution of Bollywood in the past decade. The column became one of the site's ten most read stories of the day. In her second column, "Odds stacked against Indian women", Zinta analysed the eve teasing phenomenon in India, and criticised those who practice it. She wrote, "Incidences like these take away a woman's dignity, her space and her freedom ... why the state is so helpless in protecting the women. Why should women feel unsafe in a country which had an internationally revered woman prime minister?" The column caught the attention of readers worldwide, and she received thousands of e-mails about it. It was applauded particularly by women for its stand against abuse of Indian women. Her third column, "The darkness that all actors fear", was a more personal column and dealt with her stardom, fans, insecurity and fears as an actor. Her fourth and final column, titled "Facing death in Sri Lanka and Thailand", described her two near-death experiences in late 2004.

Stage performances

Zinta has taken part in several stage shows and world tours since 2001. Her first world tour, a series of concerts called ''Craze 2001'', was performed across the U.S. alongside Anil Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Gracy Singh. The show faced early cancellation due to the 11 September 2001 attacks, and the team prepared to return to India as soon as possible. However, the shows continued successfully in Canada. In 2002, she participated in the show ''From India With Love'' in the UK, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. It took place at two outdoor venues, Manchester's Old Trafford and London's Hyde Park, with over 100,000 spectators. Zinta's largest world tour was in 2004, when she joined a group of stars (Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra) in the ''Temptation 2004'' tour. Showcased in over 22 countries across the world, it became Bollywood's most prominent international concert. In 2006, Zinta was part of the ''Heat 2006'' world tour, along with Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley. ''The Unforgettable Tour'' (2008) saw Zinta performing with the Bachchan family and Ritesh Deshmukh in a 40-day show staged in 11 cities across North America, Europe and the Caribbean.

Humanitarian work

During her years in the film industry, Zinta has been involved with different charities, and has particularly supported women's causes in India, for instance protesting against female infanticide. She has also participated in AIDS awareness drives and campaigns to clean up Mumbai.

In 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, Zinta performed at the ''HELP! Telethon Concert'' raising money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The following year, as an ambassador of the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Movement, Zinta attended a blood donation camp organised by the Rotary Club of Delhi and the Godfrey Phillips Awards. She lent her support to the cause of women's empowerment and promoted blood donation. She said, "Donating blood doesn't kill one but goes on to save somebody's life .... Once blood is donated it becomes universal and might be used by anyone in need, irrespective of community, caste or region. It binds people together."

In 2007, Zinta along with Rani Mukerji, donated Rs 250,000 of her winnings from ''Kaun Banega Crorepati'' to the Shimla District Red Cross Society in Himachal Pradesh. In January, Zinta visited Hisar, Haryana, where she spent a day at the army training base to boost the morale of the jawan troops. The visit was conducted for an NDTV show, ''Jai Jawan'', on which entertainers and actors visit Indian troops. While there, she also met children with disabilities at a special school maintained by the army. In August, along with Mumbai-based artist Gurcharan Singh, Zinta painted for the cause of street children for the non-governmental organisation ''Khushi''. In December, she joined the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to curb human trafficking in India. She spoke on behalf of awareness against the practice, the need for protection and rehabilitation for those rescued from it, and punishment for perpetrators.

Ownership of IPL cricket team

Along with Ness Wadia and others, Zinta acquired ownership rights in 2008 for the Mohali-based Twenty20 cricket team of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The group paid $76 million to acquire the franchise, and have since named the team Kings XI Punjab. Until 2009, Zinta was the only woman to own an IPL team, and was the league's youngest owner. She has been involved with launching ticket sales and promoting the team. She said, "My involvement with the team is total. I am extremely passionate about our team and I do believe that I am the team's good luck factor, so I want to be there for everything."

Personal life

Zinta used to visit her native town Shimla when not busy in shooting. In 2006, she moved into her own home in Mumbai. She does not identify with any particular religion. In an interview with ''The Times of India'', she comments, "I believe in good deeds, in karma, I don't believe in going to temples. For me, religion is very personal. It's all about having faith ... We have heard and read that all religions are equal. Now I am increasingly believing in this." She narrowly escaped death twice in late 2004: first after an explosion at a Temptation concert in Colombo, Sri Lanka; and second during the Indian Ocean earthquake.

Zinta has been the subject of several controversies. In 2003, as a witness in the Bharat Shah case, she testified against the Indian mafia. Bharat Shah, the financer of one of her movies, ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'', was arrested in 2000 for having connections with Chhota Shakeel, a Mumbai underworld boss. Unlike several of her colleagues, Zinta repeated in court her earlier statement that she had received extortion threats from the mafia during the shooting of the film. After her testimony, she was given witness protection and was forced to stay out of the public eye for two months. Thirteen other witnesses before her, including celebrities Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, were witnesses in the case but later retracted their earlier statements. Zinta was the only witness who did not become hostile to the prosecution; the nation responded positively to her actions. Consequently, she was 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. On receiving the award, she said, "To be brave is not to be fearless. It is when you fear and you get over it, then you can be called brave. I am human. It is not that I fear nothing. But getting over a fear is a continuous process and I have been successful so far." Since 2006, Zinta has been the brand ambassador for the Godfrey Phillips Bravery awards.

Tabloids have often linked Zinta romantically with other Bollywood stars, but she has strongly denied any such rumours. In 2000, Zinta began dating model Marc Robinson. They separated the following year, and according to Zinta remained on good terms. Asked in ''Filmfare'' about their break-up, she spoke of "very, very fond memories of the times we were together and I'd like to keep it to that". Zinta dated the Bombay Dyeing heir, businessman Ness Wadia from February 2005 until May 2009. Their relationship was often reported on by the media, with frequent speculation about an engagement or a break-up. In December 2006, another controversy featured Zinta when Ness Wadia was reported to have attacked construction workers at her residence in Bandra. Reportedly, a woman was critically injured and a child was hurt in the incident. Zinta reacted angrily at hearing these rumours reported in the national news and confronted journalists, criticising their conduct. She challenged the press to deliver proof, and offered Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) if an injured woman was found. No evidence was found and the rumour has subsequently been regarded as false.

In March 2007, Zinta was involved in a scandal when actress and singer Suchitra Krishnamurthy cited her as the cause of her divorce from Shekhar Kapur, alleging that Zinta was having an affair with him. Although initially silent on the issue, after another accusation by Krishnamurthy, Zinta retorted, "It is unfortunate that I am bearing the brunt of someone else's paranoia. She's clearly unstable and I wish her a speedy recovery." She issued a statement that she had met Kapur only five times in ten years and publicly demanded that he step forward and clear her of the accusation. Thereafter, the controversy came to an end.

In the media

Zinta is particularly known in the Indian media for her straightforwardness and for honestly expressing her outspoken views and forthright opinions in public, be it about her on-screen or off-screen life or raising a voice against any social injustice. These features were noted during the Bharat Shah Case, when she testified against the underworld; following this incident she was described by journalists as "The only man in Bollywood". Her characteristic dimple has been cited by the media as her trademark. She is often described by the press as having a vivacious personality and a bubbly, outgoing persona, an image she has confessed to disliking.

In 2003, Zinta appeared in the number one spot on Rediff's "Top Bollywood Female Stars". She was ranked second for the following three years. She has been featured frequently on other Rediff lists, including "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses", "Bollywood's Best Dressed Women" and "Woman of Many Faces". In September 2006, the UK magazine ''Eastern Eye'' ranked her at 41 in the list of "Asia's Sexiest Women".

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. 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. 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.

Between 2004 and 2007, Zinta made three appearances on the Indian talk show ''Koffee with Karan'', hosted by Karan Johar, appearing with Saif Ali Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Bobby Deol, respectively. In 2006, she was a guest judge in the singing talent contest ''Indian Idol 2''. She returned briefly to her occupation as a model when she walked the ramp for Manish Malhotra's display ''Fashion Week 2006'', along with actress Kajol. Later that year, Zinta and filmmaker Karan Johar represented Bollywood at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival to promote Johar's forthcoming ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'', which featured Zinta in a leading role.

In May 2007, Zinta returned to Cannes for the 60th Film Festival to attend the premiere of ''My Blueberry Nights'', which opened the gathering. She co-hosted the 52nd Filmfare Awards ceremony alongside Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Karan Johar. She was selected as the first brand ambassador for GoAir, a new airline service owned by Jehangir Wadia from Wadia Group. Speculation arose in the press that she endorsed the brand as a favour to Jeh, who is Ness Wadia's brother, a suggestion that Zinta quickly denied. May 2008 saw Zinta making her third consecutive appearance at Cannes; she attended the 61st Film Festival as the brand ambassador of Chopard, the maker of luxury watches and jewellery.

Filmography

! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1998	''Dil Se''	Preeti Nair
1998		Preeti Singh	Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut (also for ''Dil Se'')
1998	''Premante Idera''	Shailu
1999	''Raja Kumarudu''	Rani
1999		CBI Officer Reet Oberoi
1999		Rani	Guest appearance
2000	''Kya Kehna''	Priya Bakshi	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2000	''Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega''	Jahnvi
2000	''Mission Kashmir''	Sufiya Parvez
2001		Kajal Singh
2001	''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke''	Madhubala	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
2001	''Dil Chahta Hai''	Shalini
2001	''Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke''	Sakshi
2002	''Dil Hai Tumhaara''	Shalu
2003	''''	Reshma/Ruksar
2003		Sonia Kapoor	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role.
2003	''Koi... Mil Gaya''	Nisha	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2003	''Kal Ho Naa Ho''	Naina Catherine Kapur	Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2004		Romila Dutta
2004	''Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa''	Dr. Parineeta
2004	''Veer-Zaara''	Zaara Haayat Khan	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2005	''Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen''	Priti Damani
2005	''Salaam Namaste''	Ambar 'Amby' Malhotra	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2006	''Alag''		Special appearance in song "Sabse Alag"
2006	''Krrish''	Nisha	Special appearance
2006	''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna''	Rhea Saran	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
2006	''Jaan-E-Mann''	Piya Goyal
2007	''Jhoom Barabar Jhoom''	Alvira Khan
2007	''''	Shabnam	First English-language film
2007	''Om Shanti Om''	Herself	Special appearance in song "Deewangi Deewangi"
2008		Chand
2008		Kuljeet Kaur
2008	''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi''		Special appearance in song "Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte"
2009	''Main Aurr Mrs Khanna''	Haseena Jagmagia	Cameo
2012	''Har Pal''	Runa	Delayed

See also

List of Indian film actresses

List of military brats

List of people from Himachal Pradesh

List of Rajputs

References

Further reading

Gangadhar V. Preity magic. ''The Tribune''. 24 July 2004. Retrieved on 8 October 2007.

Hahn, Lorraine. Bollywood Actress, Preity Zinta Talk Asia Interview Transcript. CNN.com, 18 December 2004. Retrieved on 26 September 2007.

Khubchandani, Lata. 'I had this illusion that filmstars are like kings and queens'. Rediff.com, 22 May 2000. Retrieved on 15 September 2007.

Peschardt, Michael. What Preity Zinta wants in the new India. Rediff.com, 24 April 2006. Retrieved on 7 November 2007.

Pillai, Jitesh. Freedom at midnight...Preity Zinta. Indiatimes.com. April 2001. Retrieved on 27 September 2007.

Verma, Sukanya. Preity purrfect!. Rediff.com, 2001. Retrieved on 15 September 2007.

External links

Category:Indian film actors Category:Hindi film actors Category:Indian female models Category:Indian Premier League franchise owners Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Military brats Category:People from Shimla Category:People from Himachal Pradesh Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:Indian actors Category:Indian Hindus

ar:بريتي زينتا az:Priti Zinta bn:প্রীতি জিন্তা bg:Прити Зинта ca:Preity Zinta cy:Preity Zinta da:Preity Zinta de:Preity Zinta es:Preity Zinta eo:Preity Zinta fa:پریتی زینتا fr:Preity Zinta gu:પ્રીટિ ઝિન્ટા hi:प्रीति ज़िंटा id:Preity Zinta it:Preity Zinta he:פריטי זינטה lv:Priti Zinta hu:Príti Zinta ml:പ്രീതി സിൻ‌ഡ mr:प्रीती झिंटा ms:Preity Zinta nl:Preity Zinta ja:プリーティ・ズィンタ no:Preity Zinta pl:Preity Zinta pt:Preity Zinta ro:Preity Zinta ru:Прити Зинта sq:Preity Zinta fi:Preity Zinta sv:Preity Zinta th:ปรีติ ซิณฏา tg:Притӣ Зинта tr:Preity Zinta zh:普丽缇·泽塔

Coordinates	29°57′53″N90°4′14″N
name	Sajid Khan
birth date	December 28, 1951
birth place	Mumbai, India
website	http://www.sajidkhan.com }}

Sajid Khan (born 28 December 1951 in Mumbai, India) is a former Indian actor. He is the adopted son of Indian film producer Mehboob Khan, founder of Mehboob Studios, in India.

Career

Sajid started acting as a child appearing as the younger version of Sunil Dutt's character in his father Mehboob's 1957 film ''Mother India''. He played a more central role in his father's next and last film ''Son of India'' in 1962. He went on to achieve fame in the United States with a co-starring role alongide Jay North in the 1966 film ''Maya''. The film's success led to a television series of the of the same name airing on NBC from September 1967 to February 1968. He also had a short-lived singing career in 1969 releasing an album titled ''Sajid''. In the 1970s and early 1980s he appeared in several films and then quit acting in 1983.

Current activities

It is reported that Sajid had a factory in India which made costume jewellery. He is divorced and has a son, Sameer.

Filmography

Films

''Heat and Dust'' (1983) .... Dacoit Chief

''Dahshat'' (1981)

''Zindagi Aur Toofan'' (1975)

''Mahatma and the Mad Boy'' (1974) .... The Mad Boy

''Savera'' (1972)

''The Singing Filipina'' (1971)

''Maya'' (1966) ... Raji

''Son of India'' (1962)

''Mother India'' (1957) .... Young Birju (child artist)

TV appearances

''The Big Valley'' - The Royal Road (1969, 1 episode) .... Ranjit Singh

''Its Happening'' - (1968, 2 episodes) .... Himself

''Maya'' (1967–1968, 18 episodes) .... Raji

Discography

Singles

(Numbers in parentheses indicate ''Billboard'' Singles Chart peak positions)

"Getting To Know You" (#108) / "Ha Ram" -- Colgems 1026 (1968)

"Dream" (#119) / "Someday" -- Colgems 1034 (1969)

Albums

Sajid—Colgems COS-114 (1969)

External links

Category:Indian actors Category:Indian television actors Category:1951 births Category:Living people

dv:ސާޖިދު ޚާން hi:साजिद खान ml:സാജിദ് ഖാൻ