Mumbai, Feb 1 (IANS) Actress-entrepreneur Preity Zinta is starting a new chapter in her life following her breakup with businessman Ness Wadia. The only thing that bothers her are link-ups with co-stars and friends, as a result of which none of her male friends, she says, wants to go out with her.

"I'm surrounded by celebrities who are constantly discussing their personal lives. I'm the same Preity Zinta I used to be. You won't find me discussing my private life in detail. I'm in a very good space right now," Preity told IANS.

"The only problem is any man whom I'm seen with in public is automatically linked with me. I've come to a place where none of my male friends wants to go out with me any more! I think I'll just have to pick my date for the next public event through a contest!" she added laughing.

Preity, who is co-owner of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kings XI Punjab, has to cope up with being linked to not only her co-stars but also cricketers now.

"Can you imagine, members of my own team! I've always maintained I'd never mix business and pleasure. Now that I'm getting fully into business, I'm narrowing my chances of finding a man. I know I'd never get into criminal activities, so maybe..."

Talking about her new equation with former boyfriend Ness Wadia, Preity said: "The media has been trying to find awkwardness in our equation. Why should that be? We're still good friends. We're no longer seeing each other. We're colleagues now.

"If ever I'm in a situation, I'm sure he'd watch my back, as I'd watch his. But would people let go of this fascination with the equation between me and Ness? It's been one year since we broke up."

Preity has been spending a lot of time outside Mumbai and says she goes out of the city to avoid prying eyes.

"Whenever I'm not shooting I'm out of the country. Don't get me wrong. I love Mumbai to death. But tell me what can an actor can do in the city if she isn't working? I can't go out partying. I can't even take a jog. What do I do on a Sunday? I can't even go out.

"Now (after the Ness episode) it's become worse. I can't go out with any guy. If I do I've to beg some women to come along, otherwise the guy and I get linked up. I can't handle it any more," said Preity.

She describes her stint at the Harvard Business School as the best time of her life. "I took the plunge in December and went back to school, to Harvard School. Believe you me, it was the most enriching experience of my life. I didn't do it because I wanted to go back to college. I wanted to learn about business management so I could be a better entrepreneur."

"I had the best time of my life. I felt so proud to see so many young Asian students in Harvard. That was the future...I learnt negotiations and mergers, acquisitions, etc. There were students from all over the world, including, of course Asians. More than just the course, the questions that the students asked were so pertinent."

Preity is ready to get back to films in a big way now. "But as far as my role in the IPL cricket team is concerned it's all settled down now... My focus is now back to movies. I'm on the verge of signing new films."

She says that 2010 will be a good year for her.

"Last year I was too busy experiencing life to talk about it. 2009 was a year of learning for me. Now I reap the dividends of what I learnt. I went back to college.

"I wasn't travelling and nursing a broken heart. Just because I wasn't giving explanations. The worst you can do to someone who's recovering from an emotional setback is to crowd them. I should've been left alone. It's like a death in your family.

"Those condolence calls just set your teeth on edge. My way of dealing with my breakup was to move on. The Harvard experience really rejuvenated me. I've come back a different person. You watch 2010 is going to be the best year of my life. As Mr. (Amitabh) Bachchan would say, it's going to be mindboggling."

Labels: Preity-Zinta

New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS) Bollywood actress Preity Zinta pulled off a stunt by jumping off the wall of a toilet at the Delhi airport after she got stuck inside for more than 10 minutes.

"Spent 10 minutes stuck in the toilet at the airport...Finally had to climb the wall and jump over... People were calling out my name," Preity posted on her Twitter page Tuesday.

The 34-year-old says she felt she would die in there, but managed to escape.

"Thought I was going to die as I am claustrophobic. Pulled a muscle in my arm...," she added.

She says her tomboy attitude helped her come out of the toilet.

"Being a tomboy when I was younger definitely helped. Trying to climb a wall is never easy. Phew! Happy to go home now," she said.

Labels: Preity-Zinta

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, who went to the prestigious Harvard University in the US for a brief management course, says she had great fun being a student.

"Harvard was an amazing experience. Knowledge is key to any door in life. Sometimes when you step back and go back to school, you look at life differently. It was great being a student, not taking any thing for granted and it was great learning new things," Preity told reporters.

The 34-year-old went for a short executive course in negotiating and deal-making.

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New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS) Citing the example of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Bollywood actress Preity Zinta Wednesday pledged to work for the welfare of widows and said they could achieve a lot if given an opportunity.

Preity, 34, became the brand ambassador of Loomba Trust that supports widows and their children around the world.

"Sonia Gandhi is a perfect example. If a woman is not stolen off her opportunities, even if she is a widow, she can do great things and achieve a lot. This is more than enough reason to say that a woman can stand shoulder to shoulder with any man anywhere in the world," Preity said at a press conference here.

"I have always held women's causes in India very close to my heart. I have always felt that women get a raw deal. This cause was a little more close to my heart because I lost my father when I was very young," said Preity, who lost her father at the age of 13.

"I was lucky to come from a family that was financially stable but I did grow up realising that it was definitely more difficult for a woman. I can identify with this problem very closely," the actress told reporters.

Preity also revealed that a documentary by filmmaker Deepa Mehta's brother influenced her and she realised it was important to work for the welfare of widows.

"Deepa Mehta's brother made a documentary called 'The Forgotten Woman'. It's a documentary on widows and what really happens to them. That was the first time I looked at this besides something I had grown up with and that stayed with me," she said.

"So when I was asked to be a part of this Trust I thought that god has given me more than I can ever imagine and if I can give back, it will make a difference and in whatever way we can to raise awareness we will," she added.

Labels: Preity-Zinta

New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) Preity Zinta has been off the Bollywood radar for a long time as she was preoccupied with the Indian Premier League (IPL) and a management course at Harvard Business School in the US. She has reassured fans she will be seen in a whole lot of movies in 2010.

"Guys I am back in business. Its nice to be back after a freezing New Year. Well my New Year resolution is to work in more films, work out five times a week and learn how to drive in Mumbai traffic," Preity posted on her Twitter page.

"You all will see me doing a lot of movies this year! Please be patient and wait for announcements," she added.

Preity was last seen in full fledged roles in films like "Heaven On Earth" and "Heroes" apart from cameos in "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" and "Main Aur Mrs.Khanna". This year, she is expected to be seen in Jahnu Barua's "Har Pal".

Labels: Preity-Zinta

New Delhi, Nov 12 (IANS) From Bollwyood to Harvard university -- actress Preity Zinta is certainly going places! The actress says she's having a great time there and yes... she's also learning.

Preity is doing a short executive course in negotiating and deal-making at the Harvard Business School in the US.

"I am having such a good time here. No one judges me here or asks me stupid questions and there are no pretensions. Finally I breathe," Preity posted on her Twitter page.

"My class is full of wonderful people from all over the world and I am learning so much from all of them," she added.

In her latest post, Preity mentioned that she had a major assignment on mergers and acquisitions.

The actress also said that she is leading a disciplined life as she wraps up her day and hits the bed by 11:15 p.m.

Labels: Preity-Zinta

Cast: Salman Khan, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Mithun Chakraborty, Preity Zinta, Sohail Khan, Vatsal Sheth, Dino Morea, Amrita Arora, Riya Sen
Direction: Samir Karnik
Producer: Bharat Shah, Sameer Karnik, Vikas Kapoor
Music: Monty Sharma, Sajid-Wajid
Writer: Sameer Karnik, Aseem Arora
Lyrics: Jalees Sherwani, Rahul Seth

Labels: Amrita-Arora, Bobby-Deol, Dino-Morea, Preity-Zinta, Riya-Sen, Salman-Khan, Sohail-Khan, Sunny-Deol