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| Preity Zinta: "I don't want to end up as a frustrated, and ageing star" ANURADHA CHOUDHARY FILMFARE.COM | |
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I perform from my heart. I'm hard working. And I don't work on Sundays.
How do you spend your free time?
I get very little free time. On Sundays I get up late, relax in the house, play with my dogs, meet my friends, catch a movie. I just hang out and do anything spontaneous but nothing work-oriented. But I rarely get free time despite doing such little work.
What does your independence mean to you?
My independence means everything to me. The most underrated thing in the world is your freedom. You realise its importance only when it's taken away. Put the bird in the cage and you can see how its spirit will die. Humans without freedom are just bodies without soul.
As an actor, do you feel like a gold fish in a bowl?
In the industry I've never felt like this. But outside it's very very tough. Because people are always comparing you to your image. Sometimes it gets tiring competing with your image. I'm not silly to ask why are people staring at me. It comes with the territory. But it gets tiring after a while. I'm human too. I need to de-stress, relax sometimes. And being a star is all about carrying yourself with dignity, always smiling, always looking good. As a human being that's not always possible. You go through ups and downs. There may be days when you have a big blob on your forehead.
Are you religious?
Of course. But I don't really believe in idol worship. I don't go to the temple every day. Once in a way I'll go to a temple when I feel like it. I join my hands in prayer every time I pass Siddhi Vinayak temple or any other place of worship. But I'm not fanatic about it. I know there's God around me, in me. But I also believe religion is more than just worshipping God. To pray to God is to do good. To pray to God is to be honest. To pray to God is to have integrity. It means taking care of your Karma. These are the things that bring you closer to God. As opposed to doing aarti in a temple or sitting in a chapel and doing rosary or doing namaz in a masjid. The idea is to be a better person, doing good karma and transmit good energy on this earth.
What's your most expensive splurge?
The most expensive splurge is my house. Otherwise I don't check bills. Because when your are traveling and you're shopping you can either mentally convert the dollars and have a heart attack or you can tell yourself I work hard, I save well so let me spend it well too. I do that.
How many pairs of shoes do you have?
Not too many. I still want more, more, more. I may have about 50. I give them away also. I'm not a hoarder. So I give away my clothes and shoes. Because you can't wear five seasons old stuff. Unless something is a great favourite of mine, I just give it away.
What do you spend most of your money on?
On my holidays. I spend maximum money on my yearly holidays. On travel, on hotels, food. Comparatively I spend very little on shopping. When was the last time you cried? The last time I cried was when I first saw the rushes of KANK. It just broke my heart.
When was the last time you laughed heartily?
On the sets of KANK. It was the second last day of shooting and there were some mad jokes going around on the sets. Everyone was talking nonsense. And I was rolling with laughter.
Are you a gizmo freak?
Yes. I like computers, cameras, phones. I buy all sorts of stuff. I'm quite techno savvy. And If I don't know how to operate a certain gizmo, I certainly seek help. I like to know what's happening in technology.
Do you ever feel insecure?
There are very, very few times when I feel insecure. I don't have petty insecurities. And yet sometimes my insecurities are most petty. Like I go totally mad when I have a p***le on my forehead. But in my line of work I don't have insecurities. I do sometimes think about my future and think what if 30 or 40 years from now things don't work out for me. What if I don't have a back-up plan. I have very philosophical insecurities. That's why I place a premium on my financial independence. I don't want to end up as a frustrated, lonely, broke aging star. That's why it's important for me to have a life of my own, friends of my own and things to go back to. This industry no doubt has been great but you can't be here forever. The longer you are here, the lonelier you get. Where I am right now is the best time to be here. After this no. Then it'll get from good to bad to worse to lonely.
What depresses you?
A sad movie. Poverty. The Indian traffic. Then I start thinking about where our country is going and that depresses me a lot. Then I start wondering whether we'll ever have a good quality of life, our roads ever be good and whether our cities will ever be clean? Then sometimes when I feel I'm putting on weight and looking terrible I feel depressed.
What happened to your Clean Mumbai Campaign?
We put in a lot of money in it. We brought many dustbins, made a big deal about it and did everything we could. It's amazing how our system is. They make you go round and round and round and round. I almost have half a mind of going to another dirty spot with the same team and cleaning it up. (Laughs) And since we are into making sequels to movies, you could have the same photograph captioned Part II.
Who's the most important person in your life today?
My mother. My life revolves around her. She's the one who can make me feel so happy and she's the one who can make me feel so sad. She's the one who can make me feel completely secure and she's the one who can make me feel so lonely. She's the one who can make me feel completely satisfied by cooking me a lovely meal or she can make me feel completely isolated when she shuts her door on me in irritation. She's such an elegant and strong woman.
Do you have an obsessive compulsive disorder?
I have a fetish for cleanliness. I hate dirty feet, dirty hands, dirty clothes. Another thing I'm particular about is people's eyebrows. If they are bushy and all up and down I have to go up to them and straighten their eyebrows. I'm doing it all the time to Karan.
Your ideal man should be...
(Laughs) Mine. (Laughs some more) And he certainly shouldn't be idle.
Does Ness Wadia fit the bill?
Next question, please.
What's your favourite corner in the house?
That's the terrace outside my house and my kitchen corner. Third corner is where my doggies are. They have a little house of their own. It's a very cute corner because that's full of unconditional love.
What's the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
(Chortles) Think of ways to avoid shooting. No, no. Just joking. The first thing I do is drink a glass of water.
What does friendship mean to you?
Friendship means loving someone unconditionally. It means being non-judgmental about the other person. And yet when they do something wrong, you are the first to tell them.
Do you ever long for a normal life?
Sometimes. But I think it's very petty to say that. Because God has given me so much and I'm very happy with what I have. I've got more than I ever dreamt of. After that to say that I long for a normal life would make me very ungrateful.
My independence, my integrity and
my honesty.
What's the most mischievous thing you've done?
Oh, ho. There are too many. As a kid I would traumatise my brothers and they would traumatise me. And my mother was constantly trying to control us and wondering why she had such naughty children. I was a very naughty kid. But the rule in my house was you could do anything as long as you told the truth. And you could never snitch on anyone. If I ever snitched on my brothers to my parents or if I didn't take their side when they were fighting with other kids, it would turn into a huge issue. Because we were always taught to stick together through thick and thin.
What's the most embarrassing thing you've done?
It was when I went to this award function. I was wearing this lovely blue sari. Someone stamped on it and all the pleats came off. And I started fighting with the person with my sari at my feet. Then someone told me to at least tie up my sari before fighting.
What according to you is an over-rated virtue?
Patience. Especially when you're an actor and you have to wait and wait for your shot. Otherwise I don't think any virtue
is over-rated.
What do you dislike about your appearance?
Sometimes I wish I was taller. But I've come to accept the way I am. Earlier I would wish I was taller, I was this or that. But today, no. I'm happy the way I am. (Laughs) Because if I was taller I wouldn't have been able to work with half the industry heroes
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