Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar in 2009
Born	Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia (1967-09-09) 9 September 1967 (age 44) Amritsar, Punjab, India
Occupation	actor, producer, presenter
Years active	1991–present
Spouse	Twinkle Khanna (2001–present)

Akshay Kumar (born Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia^[1] on 9 September 1967^[1]) is an Indian film actor, producer, comedian and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. He has nominated for Filmfare Award several times and won two times. 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), Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi (1997), International Khiladi (1999), and Khiladi 420 (2000), as well as other action films such as Waqt Hamara Hai (1993), Mohra (1994), Elaan (1994) and Suhaag (1994).^[2]

Later he also gained fame for his drama, romance and comic roles.^[3] 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,^[4] which earned him a reputation as the "Indian Jackie Chan".^[2] 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.^[5] 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. In 2011 Asian Film Awards honored Kumar for his outstanding achievement in Cinema.^[3]

Early life[link]

Akshay Kumar was born in Amritsar, Punjab.^[1] His father was an army officer. His mother's name is Aruna Bhatia. 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.^[6] In Mumbai, he lived in Koliwada, which was another Punjabi dominated area.^[6] He studied at Don Bosco School and then Guru Nanak Khalsa College (King's Circle), where he participated in sports with Janpal Singh.^[6]

After having obtained a black belt in Taekwondo while in India,^[7] he studied martial arts in Bangkok, Thailand,^[6] where he learned Muay Thai^[7] and worked as a chef^[6] and waiter.^[7] 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.^[6]

Career[link]

1990s[link]

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.^[8] Later that year, Yash Chopra signed him for the romantic film Yeh Dillagi which was also a success.^[8] 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 the year.^[9]

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.^[10] 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.^[11]

In 1997, Kumar was seen in a supporting role in Yash Chopra's hit film Dil To Pagal Hai, co-starring Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor, 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.^[12] 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.^[13]

2000s[link]

Kumar on the sets of Heyy Babyy

In 2000, he starred in the comedy Hera Pheri (2000) which was a commercial success.^[14] He also starred in the romantic film Dhadkan later that same year which performed moderately at the box office.^[14] 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.^[4] In a later scene, he is also seen being chased by a car, dodging bullets, jumping off buildings, and climbing walls.^[15] 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.^[1] 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).^[16] and Garam Masala (2005). The films succeeded at the box office^[17][18] and his performance in the latter earned him his second Filmfare Award, for Best Comedian.^[1] 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).^[1] n

In 2004 he starred in Rajkumar Santoshi's Khakee alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn and Aishwarya Rai. 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.^[19] 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.^[19] Though the film under-performed, his role as a shy, lovable nerd was praised.^[20] He ended the year with the comedy Bhagam Bhag, which was a success.^[19] 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.^[21]

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."^[22] 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."^[23] His next two releases, Heyy Babyy and Bhool Bhulaiyaa, were box office successes as well.^[24][25] 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.^[26] All of Kumar's films which released that year did well in the overseas market as well.^[27]

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,^[28] 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.^[29] 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.^[30] 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.^[31] His last release in 2009 was Priyadarshan's De Dana Dan.

2010s[link]

Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha and Prabhudeva at the first look launch of the movie 'Rowdy Rathore'.

He then appeared in the 2010 comedy, Housefull, directed by Sajid Khan which garnered the second-highest opening weekend collection of all time.^[32] 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.^[33] His last film of 2010 was Tees Maar Khan. In 2011 he starred in Patiala House and Thank You.

He also co-produced a film with Russell Peters titled Breakaway (dubbed into Hindi as Speedy Singhs) which is reminiscent of his own Patiala House.^[34] Breakaway has become the highest-grossing English movie in Canadian history.^[35] 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.^[36]

His latest film is Rohit Dhawan's Desi Boyz (2011), which co-starred John Abraham, Chitrangada Singh and Deepika Padukone. His first release of 2012 was Housefull 2 which is a sequel to his 2010 successful film Housefull. The film received mixed reviews from critics and was declared Super Hit collecting 181.25 crore (US$36.16 million) at Box Office in 5 weeks. It was also a huge hit in overseas and the biggest Bollywood grosser in New Zealand. Akshay's Rowdy Rathore released on Ist June 2012.^[37] It marks the returns of him in action genre after 7 years.

Personal life[link]

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 17 January 2001. Their son named Aarav was born in September 2002.^[1] He stays in shape with a combination of kickboxing, basketball, swimming and other sports, as well as working out at the gym. In the year 2004, he was honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Award for his outstanding achievements in Bollywood. In 2008 the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada awarded him with Honorary Doctrate of Law for his outstanding work in the film industry and contribution to social work. The same year he was named the "Sexiest Man Alive" by People (India) magazine. The following year he was awarded the highest Japanese honour of "Katana" and a sixth degree Black Belt in Kuyukai Gojuryu Karate. He was one of the 15 international celebrities invited for the Olympics torch-bearer rally to Canada.^[38]

Awards and honors[link]

Filmography[link]

Actor[link]

Television appearances[link]

See also[link]

• List of Indian Actors

References[link]

External links[link]

• Akshay Kumar at the Internet Movie Database

Preity Zinta
Zinta at the International Film Festival of Marrakech (2011).
Born	(1975-01-31) 31 January 1975 (age 37) Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
Occupation	Film actress
Years active	1998–present
Partner	Ness Wadia (2005–09)

Preity Zinta (pronounced [ˈpriːt̪i ˈzɪɳʈaː]; born 31 January 1975)^[1] 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.^[2]

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,^[3] 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.^[4] These accomplishments have established her as a leading actress of Hindi cinema.^[5][6] 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.^[7]

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.^[8][9] 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[link]

Zinta was born into a family from Rohru in Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh.^[1] Her father, Durganand Zinta, was an officer in the Indian Army.^[10] 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.^[11] 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.^[12]

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.^[13] 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.^[10][14] As a student, she developed a love for literature, particularly the works of William Shakespeare and poetry.^[10] According to Zinta, she enjoyed schoolwork and received good grades; in her free time she played sports, especially basketball.^[11]

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.^[15] She earned a postgraduate degree in criminal psychology, but later took up modelling.^[10] 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.^[10] 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.^[11][15]

Acting career[link]

Early work (1997–99)[link]

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...^[15][16] 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.^[10][16]

Zinta commenced shooting for Kundan Shah's Kya Kehna, whose release was delayed until 2000.^[17] The delay of another film, Soldier, meant that her first release was Dil Se.. (1998) opposite Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala.^[16] 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.^[17] However, she was eventually noticed for her role, particularly for the forthright character she played.^[11] Her scene with Khan, in which she asked him, "Are you a virgin?", became well-known, and her portrayal earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.^[17] She played her first leading role in the action-drama Soldier (1998), a commercial hit of the year.^[18] She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut 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),^[19] 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.^[11]

Breakthrough (2000–02)[link]

Zinta's first role in 2000 was in the drama Kya Kehna, which unexpectedly became a box-office success.^[20] The film addressed themes of single parenthood and teenage pregnancy, and gained Zinta wider recognition from the public as well as film critics.^[11][17] Her portrayal of Priya Bakshi, 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.^[17]

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".^[21] It was an economic success, becoming the third-highest grossing film of the year in India.^[22]

In 2001, Zinta earned positive reviews for her role in Farhan Akhtar's National Film Award-winning Dil Chahta Hai. 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 (Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna).^[23] Zinta starred as Aamir Khan's love interest, Shalini. Dil Chahta Hai was popular with critics, some of whom noted it broke new ground by introducing a realistic portrayal of Indian youth. The film was 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 it presented.^[24][25] Rediff.com wrote of Zinta that she "... is beautiful and vibrant, wavering between endearingly naive and confused".^[26]

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.^[27] Zinta essayed the role of Madhubala, a golden-hearted prostitute hired as a surrogate mother. Initially reluctant to play the part, she eventually accepted it at the directors' persuasion and, to prepare for it, visited several bars and nightclubs at Mumbai's red-light areas to study the lingo and mannerisms of sex-workers.^[28] She received a second Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Filmfare Awards for her performance, of which reviewer Sukanya Verma wrote, "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."^[29]

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 Bollywood Hungama 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."^[30]

Success (2003–07)[link]

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.^[31] 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.^[32][33] Despite being the third highest-grossing film of that year, it failed to recover its production costs at the box office.^[31][34] 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, a role written specially for her and which she liked because it let her "give vent to all [her] frustrations".^[35] The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Zinta was particularly praised.^[36] Khalid Mohamed called her a "peppy scene-stealer, achieving her manic mood swings dexterously."^[37] For her performance, she received nominations for Best Performance in a Negative Role 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;^[31] it won the Filmfare Award for Best Movie, among others.

Zinta's final release of 2003 was Kal Ho Naa Ho, a drama 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.^[38][39] 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 of 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."^[40]

In 2004 she starred as TV journalist Romila Dutta in Farhan Akhtar's war drama Lakshya, alongside 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; Namarata Joshi of Outlook likened her to "a teenybopper trying to do a TV newsreading skit for her college fest" and Rediff.com concluded, "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."^[41][42] 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.^[38] 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.^[43] For her portrayal of Zaara, a role which required her to master the fine nuances of Urdu language, Zinta received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination.^[15] Variety hailed her as "the most interesting young actress of her generation," writing that she "is her usual lively self as the willful Zaara."^[44] 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.^[45]

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.^[46] She next starred opposite Saif Ali Khan in Siddharth Anand's comedy-drama Salaam Namaste. 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.^[38] 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 Melbourne. Salaam Namaste received mostly positive reviews, and Zinta's performance earned her nominations for Best Actress at a number of award ceremonies. Taran Adarsh referred to her as "terrific" and argued that she gave "her most accomplished performance to date".^[47] 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."^[48]

Zinta at the Jaan-E-Mann and UFO tie-up party (2006).

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.^[4] 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.^[49] 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."^[50]

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.^[51] 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.^[52] 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."^[53] 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".^[54]

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.^[55][56] Several critics panned 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."^[57][58]

New career prospects (2007–present)[link]

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.^[59] 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. Later reviews in India 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."^[60] 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."^[61]

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.^[62] 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."^[63]

By April 2008, Zinta had 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 mystical 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. Expressing her desire for "a new kind of acting challenge", Zinta described Mehta as one director she was longing to work with in order to fulfill it.^[59] To prepare for the part, 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.^[64] 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."^[65] She eventually called it her most challenging project, as it helped her "shed everything that Preity Zinta was about."^[66] 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."^[7] 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.^[67]

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.^[68] 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.^[69][70] Ishkq in Paris is slated for release on 21 September 2012.^[71]

Other work[link]

Column writing[link]

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."^[72] Her first column, "The changing face of Bollywood", published in January 2004,^[73] 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.^[74] 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.^[75] It was applauded particularly by women for its stand against abuse of Indian women.^[75] 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.^[76] Her fourth and final column, titled "Facing death in Sri Lanka and Thailand", described her two near-death experiences in late 2004.^[77]

Stage performances and television presenting[link]

Zinta performing at the Temptation 2004.

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.^[78] 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.^[79] 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.^[80][81] In 2006, Zinta was part of the Heat 2006 world tour, along with Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.^[82] 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.^[83]

In 2011, Zinta made her television debut as the host of the show Guinness World Records – Ab India Todega on Colors Channel.^[84] An Indian version of Guinness Book of World Records, the show premiered on 18 March to an audience measurement of 3.3 rating points, which made it occupy the 7th position on the chart of celebrity-driven reality shows on Hindi entertainment channels.^[85] In a four-star review for Hindustan Times, critic Rachana Dubey wrote, "Preity is a riot. She’s vivacious and knows exactly when she needs to be serious and when she can crack jokes."^[86] Later that year, Zinta started hosting the celebrity-based chat show Up Close & Personal with PZ, shot at her own penthouse in Mumbai and broadcast on the newly-launched channel UTV Stars. The first episode aired on 3 September.^[71]

Humanitarian work[link]

During her years in the film industry, Zinta has been involved with different charitable organisations and has particularly supported women's causes in India, for instance protesting against female infanticide.^[87][88] She has also participated in AIDS awareness drives and campaigns to clean up Mumbai.^[89]

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.^[90] 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."^[91]

In 2007, 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.^[92] In August, along with Mumbai-based artist Gurcharan Singh, Zinta painted for the cause of street children for the non-governmental organisation Khushi.^[93] 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.^[94]

In January 2010, Zinta was appointed the brand ambassador of The Loomba Trust, an organisation that works for the welfare of widows and their children. She said, having lost her father at 13, she could relate to the problems faced by widowed women.^[95] Later in the year, she joined the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) as their Goodwill Ambassador in India, to promote public awareness on HIV prevention, treatment and support, with emphasis on women and children, and combat discrimination against it. Speaking of her appointment, Zinta expressed hope to be "the voice for the voiceless" and bring about a "transformation in the minds of people" through collaborative work.^[96]

Ownership of IPL cricket team[link]

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).^[97] The group paid $76 million to acquire the franchise, and had since named the team Kings XI Punjab.^[98] Until 2009, Zinta was the only woman to own an IPL team, and was the league's youngest owner.^[99] She has been involved with launching ticket sales and promoting the team.^[99][100] 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."^[99]

Personal life[link]

Zinta used to visit her native town Shimla when not busy in shooting. In 2006, she moved into her own home in Mumbai.^[101] 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."^[102] 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.^[77]

Zinta has been the subject of several controversies.^[103] 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.^[104] 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.^[105] After her testimony, she was given witness protection and was forced to stay out of the public eye for two months.^[49] Thirteen other witnesses before her, including celebrities Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, were witnesses in the case but later retracted their earlier statements.^[106] Zinta was the only witness who did not become hostile to the prosecution;^[106] the nation responded positively to her actions.^[107] 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.^[107] 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."^[108] Since 2006, Zinta has been the brand ambassador for the Godfrey Phillips Bravery awards.^[91]

Zinta with Ness Wadia at the 2007 Giants Day Awards.

Tabloids have often linked Zinta romantically with other Bollywood stars, but she has strongly denied any such rumours.^[109] 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".^[110] Zinta dated the Bombay Dyeing heir, businessman Ness Wadia from February 2005 until May 2009.^[111] Their relationship was often reported on by the media, with frequent speculation about an engagement or a break-up.^[112][113] 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.^[114] 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.^[114]

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.^[115] 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."^[115] 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.^[116] Thereafter, the controversy came to an end.^[117]

In the media[link]

Zinta is particularly known in the Indian media for her straightforwardness and for honestly expressing her forthright opinions in public, be it about her on-screen or off-screen life or raising a voice against any social injustice.^[8][9] 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".^[2][87] 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.^[49]

Zinta at the 2004 IIFA Awards.

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."^[118] While 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".^[119] 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."^[120]

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.^{[13][49][121]} Critics attributed her roles in these films as to establishing a new image for leading actresses in Bollywood.^{[2][122][123]} 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."^[124]

In 2003, Zinta appeared in the number one spot on Rediff's "Top Bollywood Female Stars".^[5] She was ranked second for the following three years.^{[125][126][127]} She has been featured frequently on other Rediff lists, including "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses",^[128] "Bollywood's Best Dressed Women"^[129] and "Woman of Many Faces".^[130] In September 2006, the UK magazine Eastern Eye ranked her at 41 in the list of "Asia's Sexiest Women".^[131] 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.^[132]

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.^[133] 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.^[134] 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.^[135]

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.^[136] For the next two years, she returned to Cannes as the brand ambassador of Chopard, the maker of luxury watches and jewellery.^[137]

Filmography[link]