I was a bit arrogant, says Preity Zinta

Preity Zinta dismisses bankruptcy rumours and talks about life in a ‘sexist, regressive society’

Relatively controversy-free for the better part of her career, Preity Zinta suddenly finds herself in the news for all the wrong reasons, including rumours of her having gone bankrupt. Preity clears the air...

Preity Zinta

The curious case of Kamal Amrohi
I met Kamal Amrohi in the year 2000. Though he addressed me as his daughter, I ignored him initially. Gradually, I found out the old man had family issues. His nephew had stolen his shares and he asked me to help him get a lawyer to fight his case. Once he recovered the money, he wanted to make a movie, but then he died. The case is now sub-judice. I never took anything from anybody. The legal document containing proof of the money that I spent on him was also produced in court. He wanted to adopt me and make me his legal heir in his will. But I did not want to be adopted nor did I want any share of his property.

Thank god for the internet; there are a series of interviews online where he said that I had helped him financially, including buying a house. The other side is now slinging mud at me but the truth will come out. This world is becoming a terrible place. If you help someone, it backfires. Had I taken his money and if he was to die later, they’d have certainly accused me of killing him as well. All I can say is that it is not my nature to go ahead and slander people.

Bankruptcy rumours
I feel sad about rumours suggesting that I am renting out my place to pay off my debts, which runs into the Rs 5-10 lakh figure. Do you think I stay in a shack? I have lived in that house for 10 years and will continue to stay there. I am talking about this now because it has snowballed into a major controversy. I am an entrepreneur too and have many more things (besides acting) to do. I invested in a cricket team, but people think it happened because I was dating a rich guy. That’s not the truth. We live in a sexist, regressive society.

Lean patch
Yes, I took a loan for my first movie as a producer. That’s how one does it. It didn’t work but I am not one to be bogged down. It was an experiment, a learning experience. Can you think of one production house that has not had a film that didn’t work? I am the only person who has made a film where no one lost money. I have done many right things so I can accommodate a failure. I was a bit arrogant in some ways and also had some bad luck. But there’s something coming up soon. Now I have learnt enough to direct a film.

Special someone?
You will find out soon. You know me, I can’t keep a secret for long. I took a very tough decision to walk away from everything that I had, and follow my heart. Everyone wrote me off and said someone else must have done it for her. But I can say that my life is going good and I don’t regret anything at all.

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