Reveal our sources, “Preity was shooting for an ad for a face bleach product under Sarkar’s direction in the simmering Chennai heat which was around 40-42 degrees Celsius. Suddenly in between the shots, Preity’s nose started bleeding profusely. Infuriated she threw a hissy fit and went on a cussing spree and saying loudly how she hated outdoor shootings for such reasons. Apparently, she was even heard telling her staff around that she is not as young as before.”

The source further adds, “Medical assistance was soon given to her and after a small break, the shoot resumed with a cooler Preity.”

Preity Zinta, Carol Gracias, Dolly Thakore, Sonali and Roop Kumar Rathod at France Independence day celebrations in Mumbai on 15th July 2009.

Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna, Katrina Kaif, Preity Zinta, Pooja Batra, Salman Khan, Amrita Arora, Kehkashan, Sohail Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, Arpita Khan, Vindu Dara Singh, Vipul Shah, Shefali Shah, Aarti and Kailash Surendranath, Shirish Kunder, Sanjay Kapoor, Ritesh Deshmukh, Madhur Bhandarkar, Bhushan KUmar, Kishan KUmar, Chunky Pandey, Bomen Irani, David Dhawan, Atul Agnihotri, Priyadarshan, Sajid Nadiadwala, Shabbir Khan, Jennifer Mayani at Kambakkht Ishq success bash in Enigma on 6th July 2009 .

John Abraham, Bipasha Basu, Preity Zinta, Sophie Chaudhary, Daboo Malik at the screening of film Hangover in PVR on 2nd July 2009.

With films like Dil Se, Kya Kehna (her first full fledged performance as a complete actress) Armaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Koi Mil Gaya, Kal Ho Naa Ho and Heroes, the actress has proved that she is not just a pretty face but a talented actress too. With films like Veer Zaara and now Videsh, Preity showed her detractors that she was not her to just run around trees but also give powerful performances.

A source close to the talented beauty tells us, “Right now Preity may not have signed many films apart from Yash Chopra’s forthcoming venture and Sohail Khan’s Main Aur Mrs Khanna but the actress is playing it pretty safe and accepting only roles which can do justice to the talent that she is blessed with. Since she has come to a stage where she knows that she has had a long and outstanding innings to play. She has now moved on to IPL and made a mark there is no looking back for the actress. Preity is looking forward to doing quality work and is here to stay.”

Indeed, from the chirpy bubbly youngster we saw in Soldier and Dil Se, she has now matured into a fine actress

To be directed by Dilip Mehta, brother of director Deepa Mehta the film is titled Whats Cooking Stella? Vansh tells us, “Yes that’s right and I am looking forward to doing it as it is not as a serious themed project as my debut film.”

Reportedly, Vansh has been turning down projects that are being offered to him by regular Bollywood filmmakers. Vansh admits doing so and says, “I only want to work in films that allow to me grow as an actor. I am busy with theatre already. I would definitely want to do Hindi cinema as I have grown up watching them. But now now I am reading a few scripts and fairly soon I will be working in a few projects as well.”

“Working with Preity Zinta in Videsh was a great experience. I was overwhelmed. She is simply great. She was very professional, down to earth and punctual. She was a lovely co-star to work with.” Vansh recalls.

About the response he has been getting for his Videsh act, Vansh tells us, “Post screenings in Canada and India, people have been coming up to me and asking if I am married or not, and if I am not, then no mother would be ready to give her daughter to me as I was so good in playing the baddie in the film.”

The event took place in the Nyanga Cricket Stadium in Nyanga Township, just outside Cape Town in South Africa. As one of the oldest townships in the area this community is racked by poverty and has little access to sporting facilities. Over fifty young players from two local schools received the opportunity of a life time when they took on KXIP players in the nets. The KXIP players coached each player giving each youngster the chance to show off their batting and bowling skills. The players also fielded questions from the young cricketers who were eager to question their heroes about the Indian Premier League and cricket in general. Based on these questions a young player was selected by the team to walk with their captain for toss during their inaugural match against the Delhi Daredevils on Sunday.

At the stadium the KXIP players as well as Preity Zinta engaged in a live chat in the mig33 Cricket FanZone. After joining the mobile fan club, KXIP fans can “watch” matches live with other fans on their mobile phones in dedicated chat rooms complete with live ball-by-ball commentary, receive important news updates from the team, meet new friends and buy official KXIP virtual merchandise in the mig33 content store. Members also get access to the KXIP Chat Stadium and chat live with their cricket heroes.

During the live chat Preity Zinta fielded a range of questions from who she considers her best player to whether she would ever make a movie about cricket. Commenting on her experience Preity Zinta says “It was amazing to connect with so many fans from around the world and be so close to them while sitting in South Africa. I hope that our fans will use this platform to ignite passion and support the team during the IPL. I look forward to this association with mig33 and to engaging in future chats with our fans.”

Preity Zinta, Yuvraj Singh at IPL press meet in Taj Land_s End on 11th April 2009 .

Preity writes at her blog post “It’s ridiculous how media sits and writes anything they feel like without even the decency and the journalistic norm of contacting all parties – well in advance – for their side of the story.”

The actress has bluntly denied the rumor, saying the journalist who wrote the story for Mumbai Mirror tried to call her up, but after the story was already published. Preity asks “At .12.00 o’ clock, midnight (08th april 2009), I got a text message from this journo, saying ‘There’s a story about your new link-up’, and we need your comment on this.’ But when I called him back, I was told that the story was already printed and that they couldn’t do anything at that point. I was livid. So then, what was that call? And exercise in futility?”

Preity writes further at her blog post “Apparently, now they’re saying that this story came about because I was cheering for Vikram Chatwal at the Fashion Week. How ridiculous is that? When I cheered for Shah Rukh Khan, then no one questioned me as to why I cheered him the most? At the LFW there were also Arjun and Mehr Rampal, Rahul Bose, Ujjwala Raut – all famous celebrities and my friends; and I cheered all of them. I cheered for all of them because the show was for Mumbai.”

“I don’t like discussing this so publicly, but the point here is, I want to clarify what is right and wrong. People cannot write anything wrong about someone and get away with it. Especially about me, because I will take strong action against any false rumours or stories. I will fight against what is wrong,” the actress writes.

Not only this, Preity slammed the Bollywood media, saying the paparazzi culture of Hollywood is catching up here in Bollywood. She says, “In fact, in Hollywood the paparazzi system is really strong, but whenever there is false news, the Courts abroad are fast and quick to punish the offenders. Any false news is severely and immediately dealt with by the Courts.”

Friends close to Preity vouch further fact that the actress is exteremely outspoken and always calls a spade a spade. She has always been honest about her personal life and values her dignity. It is unfair to her when such allegations are spread without even crosschecking with her. Her close friend says, “ How can they link her up with anyone she’s seen with? Its rubbish”

Preity has always believed in taking a stand and has always spoke up. But obviously this time too Zinta is not going to take things lying down.

Preity Zinta endorses Godrej Eon in Rennaisance Powai on 8th April 2009.

Dino Morea, Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, Genelia D Souza, Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Sophie Chaudhry, Manish Malhotra, Gauri Khan, Preity Zinta, Ritesh Deshmukh, Tusshar Kapoor, Karishma Tanna, Suzanne, Arjun Rampal at Manish Malhotra post party hosted by Pradeep Gidwani of Calsberg on 30th March 2009.

Kareena Kapoor, Kajol, Shahrukh Khan, Isha Koppikar, Amisha Patel, Hrithik Roshan, Suzanne, Arjun Rampal, Karan Johar, Celina Jaitley, Genelia D Souza, Sridevi, Boney Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Tanisha Mukherjee, Alka Yagnik, Sophie Chaudhry, Manish Malhotra, Gauri Khan, Preity Zinta, Ritesh Deshmukh, Tusshar Kapoor, Twinkle Khanna at Manish Malhotra Show at Lakme Fashion Week Fall-Winter 2009 on 30th March 2009.

Preity Zinta, Malaika Arora Khan, Shamita Shetty, Sameera Reddy, Gul Panag, Lara Dutta, Arjun RAmpal, Upen Patel, RAhul Bose, Vida Samadzai, Queenie Dhody, Nisha Jamwal, Nina Manuel, TAnisha Mukherjee, Prashant Raj, Karan Johar, KUnal Kapoor, Rahul Khanna, Poonam Dhillon, Rocky S, Aditi Govitrikar, Chunky Pandey, Neeta Lulla, Arbaaz Khan Vikram Chatwal’s bash on 28th March 2009.

Arjun Rampal, Deepika Padukone, Malaika Arora Khan, Kunal Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Milind Soman, Kunal Khemu, Rahul Bose, Rahul Khanna, Naomi Campbell, Bikram Saluja, Cyrus Broacha, Boman Irani, Madhoo, Aarti Surendranath, Arbaaz Khan, Kehkashan at LIFW for Mai Mumbai show on 28th March 2009.

Preity recalling the incident narrates, “I had nightmares even before I shot for the scene. I had to put my hand into a hole in the ground, take out this big long snake and not just hold it but also put it around my neck. Deepa wasn’t sure I’d be able to do it. So she suggested a digital snake instead of a live one. It would’ve looked as authentic if not more, because the movements of a digital snake would be more controllable. But it didn’t make sense. It was an authentic films and digitalizing this scene would have completely marred the film.”

Preity says, “Surprisingly I did. After I got over my initial revulsion and fear I was fine with the snake. People who have seen Videsh wonder how I could take such a long snake around my neck but then isn’t that what true acting is all about?”

Videsh is said to be inspired by Girish Karnad’s play Naag Mandala where the battered wife imagines the naag devta transforming into a caring loving husband as an alternative life to her nightmarish reality. “The snake is almost my second co-star after Chand who plays my husband so I couldn’t really ignore it. I had to do it” says the brave Preity.

From a small town in Punjab, Chand (Preity) arrives alone in Ontario, Canada, to get married to Rocky (Vansh). Full of dreams in her eyes of a happy married life, Chand brings along her, her mom’s narrated poems and folktales. But her dreams are shattered on her wedding night itself. She has to adjust herself in a small apartment where her cabbie driver hubby stays along with his parents, sister, her jobless hubby and two kids.

Rating: 1.5/5
Starring: Preity Zinta, introducing Vansh Bharadwaj
Director: Deepa Mehta

Her insecure mother-in-law even disrupts her honeymoon by arriving at her hotel room. When she detests, Rocky raises his hand on her. Disheartened Chand seeks solace in reciting her mom’s narrated folklore of the holy snake “Sheshnaag” which has the ability to help a distressed woman.

Gradually, Rocky and his mom’s insulting behaviour increases with Rocky often brutally beating Chand up. But then one night, her “snake god” from her backyard comes to life and enters her bedroom in the form of her husband Rocky. The confusion it all leads to forms the rest of the film.

Adapted from Girish Karnad’s famous play Naga Mandalam, the basic plot is extremely interesting but Deepa Mehta has made a complete mess of it. So slow paced is the narrative that during this 1 hour 45 minutes running time film, you keep on yawning at regular intervals and constantly keep looking at your watch hoping the torture ends as soon A lot of time is wasted in establishing Chand’s unhappy married life.

Then post the interval when the Sheshnaag twist finally takes place, everything proceeds in a hurry. Even the climax appears rushed.

What keeps you from walking out of the film mid-way is Preity Zinta’s outstanding performance. Most often shown make-up less in the film, Preity has delivered her career best performance in Videsh. Sometimes without any dialogues, just through eyes she expresses so much pain that you can’t help but start feeling extreme pity for her character.

Debutante Vansh Bharadwaj is extremely natural and appears mean to the core. Most of the rest of the cast are unknown actors and each one of them right from the old actress playing Preity’s mother in law to the small kids in the house have delivered a very good natural performance.

The film in its original English version – Heaven on Earth may have received a few film festival awards but now in its Hindi dubbed version as Videsh, it is certainly not a film which will entertain you. Its tortoise pace and some absurdities thrown in at regular intervals will definately put you off to sleep.

Also Read:
I have put my heart and soul into Videsh: Preity Zinta
‘Videsh’ agrees on an ‘A’ Certificate.
Preity Zinta promotes Videsh
videsh special screening
Videsh – Heaven on Earth

Was it a shock to you when the IPL was relocated to South Africa?

The situation is such, what to do? The option was to either have it outside India or not at all. No one is happy to shift from home ground. That thrill of playing across our own country at domestic tournaments is gone. Going to various cities with the matches is a high. However people can still watch it on tv. That’s still there.

But an Indian event shifted to South Africa?

I know. But we’ve to be optimistic. Last year when the IPL started everyone thought it would flop. It became the biggest hit ever. Likewise the shift to SA could make the IPL bigger. What else can I do except be hopeful?

But it’s being translocated to a new culture and environment ?

Of course it is! But what can we do? I’ve always believed whatever happens in life happens for the best. The timing of the ILP crisis was unfortunate. My most challenging film Heaven On Earth is on release.I’d have liked more time nurturing it. You know I did Heaven On Earth for myself. Lots of times I’ve done things for this reason and that. But this time it was entirely for me. And I don’t mean that in any selfish way. I just needed to connect more with my inner self. This film made me do that.

Tell me about your preparation for the role.

I’ve worked quite a lot with battered women. I’ve studied so many kinds of mental disorder. Domestic violence comes much after other forms of disorder. Every scene in Heaven On Earth rings true. I had a hundred notions on how to play the role. But when I met abused women I decided it has to be very real. I’m very proud of it. Let’s see how audiences in India react.

So the timing of IPL was unfortunate?

Yes, it was a little unfortunate. No matter how positive we try to be about the situation there’s undoubtedly a feeling of dismay about the IPL moving out of India. It’s amazing how such a thing could happen.

It’s like uprooting a national event?

Exactly. It’s like asking an actor to perform in a theatre where nobody knows him. But we’ll make sure that the quality and profile of the game doesn’t change. Only two percent of the audience watches the game in a stadium. Most of them watch the game on television. But there’s that vibe when the game happens on home ground. That spirit can’t be captured anywhere. Having said that I don’t want to sound whiny and petty. I want to thank South Africa for agreeing to host the IPL games. They’ve gone out of their way to accommodate us, flung their fields open to us. I think South Africa will make a beautiful home for the games.

Wasn’t the choice between South Africa and England?

Yes there were several options. But it finally came down to chosing between those two countries. We didn’t to go into a place where there was too much rain. I think SA will be fun. Who knows, they might even allow me to play. That’s my secret fantasy. Miracles do happen, you know.

So is South Africa going to be the perment venue for the IPL?

If India decides to have elections every year, who knows?Ironically South Africa is also holding elections.

Is it just elections that ousted IPL from India. Or was there a security scare after what happened to the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan?

I refused to believe India is scared about the security. Does the country shut down because we can’t get enough security? I think we need to vote even more carefully. We must put the proper people in places of power. I don’t think we should vote for anyone—ANYONE—who has got criminal records. See their track records and then vote.

How will you be ready with the IPL in SA in time ?

We Indians don’t only exist in chaos. We thrive in it. Even last year when IPL happened for the first time we grappled with all odds. I know I’m going to have sleepless nights.But that’s a different story. I can’t pretend I’m not disappointed by the relocation. But South Africa is a terrific country. I’ll have lots to do besides cricket. In Punjab it was difficult for me to move out. Preity Zinta will have a blast shopping in SA. Preity Zinta the team owner is worried. We’ve no players from SA. Neither does Shah Rukh.

Are the boys demoralized by the relocation?

Their choice was between no IPL and IPL in South Africa.

She’s losing endorsements to younger actresses left, right and centre and so is Preity.

Their loss has turned out to be somebody else’s gain.

After the success of ‘Jaane Tu …Ya Jaane Na’ Genelia D’ Souza has found her feet back in Bollywood.

Genelia had moved to South when she failed to make a mark in Bollywood with her first film ‘Tujhe Meri Kasam’ with rumoured boyfriend Riteish Deshmukh. ‘Masti’ did nothing for her either.

But now things have changed. Apart from big offers, movies with John Abraham and good filmmakers, she has become a hot favorite in the ad world as well.

The cute and petite ‘Aditi’ has ad makers fighting it out for her. She’s endorsing products that our ‘A-league’ Bollywood actresses once used to endorse. This includes Rani and Preity.

Genelia is now the face of brands like Vatika hair oil and Fair and Lovely. After replacing Rani in the Fanta commercial, Genelia has now replaced Bollywood’s bubbly Zinta in the Cadbury Perk commercial.

Genie baby is clearly a young face and is great in-demand. Rani and Preity and the ilk have a lot to worry about.

Shahrukh Khan, Ness Wadia, Preity Zinta, Neeta Ambani, Vijay Mallya, Shashank Manohar, Lalit Modi at IPL press meet on 22nd March 2009.