Happy Birthday Preity Zinta: The bold and beautiful actor

On Preity Zinta’s 46th birthday, we take a look at five roles through which she pushed the boundary.

By Compiled by Juhi Chakraborty

PUBLISHED ON JAN 31, 2021 11:10 AM IST

 

Actor Preity Zinta turns 46 today.

With that dimpled smile and bubbly persona, Preity Zinta has been ruling hearts right from the beginning of her career in 1998 with Dil Se. But what’s also most commendable is that right from the start, the actor has been known for taking risks, choosing unconventional roles, something that her contemporaries steered away from. On her 46th birthday, we take a look at five roles through which she pushed the boundary.

 

 

Kya Kehna

 

The Kundan Shah-directed film was supposed to mark her debut in Bollywood. She played a role that not many would have dared to take up, especially as a first film. The 2000 film dealt with the pre-marital pregnancy in which Zinta played the role of an unwed teenage mother.

 

Sangharsh

 

In the Tanuja Chandra-directed psychological thriller, the actor played the role of CBI Officer Reet Oberoi, who fights her own childhood demons to nab a child abductor and murderer played by Ashustosh Rana. The hard-hitting role in the 1999 film remains one of the highlights of her career.

 

Chori Chori Chupke Chupke

 

In the 2002 film, the actor played the role of a sex worker who agrees to become a surrogate mother. A ground breaking and risky role indeed for Zinta since the film dealt with the concept of surrogacy, something that again was not a widely talked about subject back then.

 

 

Salaam Namaste

 

The 2005 film saw Zinta play the role of a strong-willed, career oriented girl living in Australia who decides to live-in with her boyfriend (played by Saif Ali Khan) before they get married, to see whether the relationship is worth giving a shot. It was among the first few films credited for bringing the topic of live-in relationships out in the open.

 

Veer- Zaara

 

The 2004 Yash Chopra directorial cross-border romantic drama saw Zinta’s character Zaara Hayaat Khan transform from a young girl to that of an older woman in her ‘50s waiting for the love of her life. The actor looked as effortless as a young girl as she did in the older avatar and ended up sweeping awards for that year.