Preity Zinta

Preity Zinta is a celebrated Indian actress, producer, and entrepreneur, known for her spirited performances and dimpled smile. Born on January 31, 1975, in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India, Preity hails from a Rajput family. Her early life was marked by tragedy when she lost her father in a car accident at the age of 13. However, her resilience and academic brilliance stood out—she went on to earn a degree in English (Hons.) from St. Bede’s College, followed by a postgraduate degree in criminal psychology.

Preity made her film debut in 1998 with Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se.., alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. The film introduced audiences to her fresh screen presence and natural acting. Her breakthrough came the same year with Soldier, opposite Bobby Deol, for which she won the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. What set her apart from her contemporaries was her boldness in choosing unconventional roles early in her career. Films like Kya Kehna (2000), where she played a teenage single mother, and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001), dealing with surrogacy, cemented her position as a thoughtful and daring performer.

Preity reached the peak of her career in the early 2000s, with massive commercial hits like Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), for which she won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, Veer-Zaara (2004), Salaam Namaste (2005), and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006). Her on-screen pairing with stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Hrithik Roshan became iconic. Besides commercial cinema, she was also part of critically acclaimed films like Dil Chahta Hai and Lakshya, showcasing her versatile range.

Apart from acting, Preity is known for her strong voice and outspoken personality. She has been involved in humanitarian causes, spoken out against harassment in Bollywood, and testified as a key witness in the Bharat Shah case related to underworld threats. She also ventured into television, hosted a chat show, and appeared as a judge on dance reality shows.

In 2008, she made headlines by becoming the co-owner of the IPL cricket team, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), making her one of the first women to own an IPL franchise. She later expanded her business interests in sports and entertainment. After a sabbatical from films, she returned with the film Bhaiyaji Superhit (2018) and made occasional public appearances.

Preity Zinta married American financial analyst Gene Goodenough in 2016 and later settled in Los Angeles. In 2021, the couple welcomed twins via surrogacy. Despite being away from the silver screen in recent years, Preity continues to be a beloved personality in Indian cinema for her intelligence, charisma, and timeless performances.