I play a cold woman in 'Kabhi Alvida...': Preity

May 23, 2006 Subhash K. Jha



Mumbai, May 24 (IANS) The effervescent Preity Zinta is set to surprise fans with her cold woman act in Karan Johar's "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" (KANK).


"I never like myself on screen. But I must say KANK has changed my look and my personality completely. I play this cold woman, which wasn't easy for a warm person like me to do. I have just a few expressions to give away. And I think I have done them well," Preity told IANS in an interview.


She seems seriously possessed by Johar's passion. "I saw bits of the film recently at Karan's urging. What a film Karan has made! KANK is unlike anything we have seen before and certainly unlike anything I have done.


"Everyone is beyond outstanding. Mr. Bachchan (Amitabh) and Shah Rukh (Khan) need no endorsement from poor me. Rani (Mukerji) is a rock star. But Abhishek (Bachchan) is going to shock you. His expressions, his interpretation of his character have to be seen to be believed. I truly believe Abhishek is the star of tomorrow."


Preity is now fed up of outdoor shoots and wants to spend some quality time at home. "Please find me a producer who makes a complete film in India. I am shooting abroad all the time!"


She was recently in Bangkok shooting a shampoo advertisement. Before that she completed a world tour with one of her favourite co-stars, Saif Ali Khan. She then rushed to Mumbai and after that flew to Cannes with buddy Johar.


"I was excited about Cannes because I was with one of my most entertaining friends who by the way knows French better than the French, so I didn't fear misinterpretation.


"I caught 'The Da Vinci Code' there. But Karan and I were looking mainly at projecting our film 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'."


Once again she is going abroad to shoot Shaad Ali's "Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom" with Abhishek.


"Again to be shot abroad. Groan groan," she mock-protests. "We start the film in August and wrap it up by October. I guess it'd be released early next year. So I have three releases KANK, Shirish Kunder's 'Jaan-e-Man' and then 'Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom' in the next six months.


"Wow! And to think that I had only one release - 'Salaam Namaste' - since 'Veer-Zaara'. That's because I completely withdrew, stopped signing films and began to look at my life in a different way after the tsunami.


"Not many people know this. But I nearly lost my life in the tsunami. Some of my close friends lost their lives. For almost eight months, I stopped working. Hence the long gap between 'Veer-Zaara' and 'Salaam Namaste'.


Her brush with death forced her to re-evaluate her priorities.


"Tsunami made me question my own life and priorities. I decided if I can't be happy now I can never be happy. Not that I was ever unhappy. But the tsunami made me value what I have. I wrote down all the things that I had in life to be grateful about. And it was quite a long list!


"Today I have a rocking career, my mom is rocking too and my personal life couldn't get any better, touch wood. I can shop till I drop and I can visit any part of the world to work or to holiday.


"Earlier there would be a problem with Kareena (Kapoor) or whoever. I find all that totally unnecessary now. Now I like all my co-stars."


She lights up at the thought of working with Bobby Deol and Abhishek in "Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom".


"That one is going to be an Aquarian special. All three of us are Aquarians. So it will be like three like-minded actors working together on a fun project.


"And what fun to work with two of my favourite co-stars. Though Bobby and I have done only one film, 'Soldier', together, we are truly fond of each other. He calls me Pritam Singh. As for Abhishek, he is one of the most cultured and funniest persons I have met. So yeah, we are going to have a ball."


More joy...Preity attended the Paris premiere of "Veer-Zaara" in the first week of May.


"I flew down to Paris from my concert in Dallas for just one day to be there. And thank god! I was there with Shah Rukh Khan, Rani and Yash (Chopra) uncle. Over 15,000 people watched the film in Paris, and we aren't talking about Indians and Asians. There were the French and other foreigners. And the way they responded to 'Veer-Zaara', it just made me think...


"Hindi cinema is becoming really hot in Europe. Two years since its release, and suddenly I was reminded in Paris of how important 'Veer-Zaara' is. Amazing!"


She feels Johar's "Kabha Alvida Naa Kehna" and Kunder's "Jaan-e-Man" will take her career further.


"What's really exciting is that I get to play totally antithetical characters in these two films. So, this year my two releases are going to show what I can do as an actor."


Preity has never felt better. "The spoilsports can say whatever they want about my life and career. I couldn't have hoped for more. After 'Jhoom Baraabar...' I am looking at three other scripts. I'll choose one of them."


As for marriage..."that topic isn't on my mind. Every time I am asked about my marriage I ask the journalist, why such a stale question. The way the media is interested in my marriage they should get together to fund my wedding."



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Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna


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