Preity Zinta

Preity Zinta born January 31, 1975 is an Indian film actress. She has appeared in Hindi cinemas of Bollywood, as well as Telugu and English language movies. A criminal psychology graduate, Zinta made her acting debut in Dil Se in 1998, followed by Soldier in the same year. She won a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award for both films, and was later recognised for her performance as a teenage single mother in Kya Kehna. She would subsequently display her range, taking on a number of roles as characters of a diverse nature, and in doing so, has been credited with bringing a change in the image of Hindi film heroine.

Born on January 31, 1975 in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, Zinta hails from a Hindu Rajput family of Rohru in Shimla district. Her father, Durganand Zinta, was an officer in the Indian Army. Durganand died when Zinta was thirteen in a car accident; the accident also involved her mother, Nilprabha, who was severely injured and remained bedridden for two years. According to Zinta, her father's early death was one of her most terrible experiences and a turning point in her life, as it forced her to grow up. Zinta has two brothers, Deepankar and Manish, a year older and a year younger, respectively. Deepankar is a commissioned officer in the Indian Army, while Manish is settled in Los Angeles.

Zinta is particularly known in the Indian media for her straightforwardness and for honestly expressing her outspoken views and forthright opinions in public, be it about her on-screen or off-screen life or raising a voice against any social injustice. These features were noted during the Bharat Shah Case, when she testified against the underworld; following this incident, she was described by journalists as "The only man in Bollywood". Her characteristic dimple has been cited by the media as her trademark. She is often described by the press as having a vivacious personality and a bubbly outgoing persona, an image she has confessed to dislike.