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Why Preity will do anything to get Rekha's attention
Insecure, attention-grabbing are two words to describe the actress in Dil Hai Tumhaara
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Priyanka Nair
Did you know that Preity Zinta's role in Dil Hai Tumhaara was originally slated for Meenakshi Seshadri 12 years ago?
The film then was supposed to be directed by Rajkumar Santoshi with Sunny Deol, Salman Khan and Seshadri.
Launched with a lot of fanfare by then producer Salim in Bangalore, rumours about Santoshi's alleged marriage plans with Seshadri soon had the film shelved.
In 1997, Tips Films acquired the script of the film. The director changed, so did the cast of the film.
Kundan Shah, director of the classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, took over the reins. Preity Zinta, who worked with him in the successful Kya Kehna!, seemed the natural choice.
For Preity, the film was just on par for the course, she says. "I did my first film Kya Kehna! with him [Shah], and I really learnt a lot about cinema from him. That film was appreciated a lot. He is a great director and my favourite. Only thing is, he screamed at me the most and the loudest."
The film stars Rekha, Mahima Chaudhry, Arjun Rampal and Jimmy Shergill. It is the story of two sisters who fall in love with the same man, and the angst that one goes through when her mother tells her to back out from the relationship.
For her part, Zinta enjoys a strong, author-backed role. This has given rise to strong rumours that the rest of the cast may well run the risk of being undersketched. She clarifies, "No, it is nothing like that. I confess I have a good role and am the main protagonist in the film. That certainly does not mean the others don't have anything to do in the film! Besides, all of us knew exactly what we were supposed to be doing before we signed on for the film."
There are also indications that Chaudhry has been sidelined in the promotions of the film. Zinta says, "That is not true at all. I believe the media is trying to create trouble between us [Chaudhry and Zinta]. I also want to say that I am extremely fond of Mahima, but we not great friends. So once the film is released and you don't see the two of us together, don't start writing stories that there is a problem between me and Mahima!"
Which brings her to a point she is forceful about. The actress believes the media spins stories about her only when she is not in town [Mumbai] to clarify the reports. "I really don't know why people don't check it with me before they start reporting false information about me. Once the DVD of the film is released, you will find that the maximum that gets cut will be my parts, nobody else's."
Her part, she says, is that of "a very insecure girl who does anything to get her mother's attention. That insecurity in her makes her a rebel. In order to run away from reality, she lives in her own world where she rules."
On the sets of the film, she confesses "Arjun and I would have a lot of arguments and fights on the sets. Still, it was great fun working with him." And Rekha who plays her mother, Zinta says, is "brilliant and has a terrific sense of humour."
The actress is known for her bubbly nature, both on and off screen. She came into the limelight with her role in Kya Kehna!, with Saif Ali Khan and Chandrachur Singh, and soon followed with notable performances in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke and Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega, both with Rani Mukherji and Salman Khan. She was also a prominent part of the slick and witty Dil Chahta Hai, with Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna.
Now 13 films old, Zinta is quite happy and contented with her role in the Hindi film industry. Always a person who knows her mind, Zinta has never been one to sign any film that comes her way. One film she is indeed excited about is her second film with Shah Rukh Khan for Karan Johar's next production. She had worked with Khan in Mani Ratnam's Dil Se, which also starred Manisha Koirala. "I am doing Nikhil Advani's film [opposite Shah Rukh Khan], and I am really looking forward to it," she says.
She is now working on Farhan Akhtar's Lakshya, Honey Irani's Armaan and Rakesh Roshan's Koi Mil Gaya. "But my next release after DHT will be The Hero -- Love Story Of A Spy."