Preity reveals a super-hit syndrome

Mumbai: She appeared on the Bollywood scene only a few years ago and has gone on to climb the popularity charts since then.

Despite having no filmi connections or a beauty pageant crown to flaunt, Preity Zinta with her 'butter-won't-melt-in-my-mouth' attitude, has managed to carve a niche for herself in an industry where nepotism and networking is the way to work.

CNN-IBN's Entertainment Editor Rajeev Masand spoke to the star about her films, career, future plans and much more.

Rajeev Masand: Is it true that every time you fall down on the sets of a film, they consider it is going to be a huge hit?

Preity Zinta: Yes, it sounds very strange, but is true. When I was shooting for Kal Ho Na Ho, there was this little bridge that I had to come running over, clapping and dancing to the song Kuch To Hua Hai.

Just as I came running, I flew up above the ground and fell down with a crash. Everybody went silent, but Karan (Johar) went on shouting, "It's a hit, it's going to be a super-hit!"

He got me up and said, "Once more." I again came running and fell again at the very same spot in the very same way. And the film indeed turned out to be a super-hit.

It's a mad thing, but this happened once again on the sets of Jaan-e-Mann . I fell down while shooting for this song Humko Maloom Hai with Farah (Khan). And there she screamed, "It's a super-hit."

Rajeev Masand: So, the producers, who are otherwise meant to take care of their stars and ensure that they are comfortable, are actually waiting for you to fall off on a set! Isn't that ironic?

Preity Zinta: I think it's a big joke, a cute one actually. I think most of the crew was in a state of shock to see me fall off so badly. So, Karan just said it to lighten the atmosphere. He could see the big fat tears in my eyes.

It's simply a joke and I'm not superstitious to such a mad extent. I think if you work hard on a good script, there is nothing that can stop it from being a hit. You get me the world's worst script and make me fall a hundred times while enacting it, and it won't be a hit.

Rajeev Masand: You have been shooting abroad for the past many months. You just came back from London after spending two months shooting Jhoom Barabar Jhoom. Before that it was Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and more recently Jaan-e-Mann that were shot extensively in New York. Also not to forget Salam Namaste that was shot in Australia. Is it really fun living out of the suitcase?

Preity Zinta: No Rajeev, it's not fun at all. I enjoy my work and I love working outside the country. But that is purely because I can switch off my phone and concentrate on my work since there is nobody to distract me there. I like the fact that I can work out, be healthy and push all the stress aside when I'm abroad.

But when I come back home, I feel quite disconnected. I find that there is so much that has happened when I wasn't around. Somebody has written something about me that I could not even clarify. Somebody has had a baby and someone's got married. Time flies and no one really waits for you.

Rajeev Masand: Does your boyfriend, family or friends get angry over you for not being there on all the big occasions? You must be missing out on birthdays, anniversaries and all the big moments that are important otherwise.

Preity Zinta: That's true, but there are things that I can't miss no matter what goes on. Like my mom's birthday on November 30. It's something that I can't miss at any cost. No matter in what part of the world I am, I fly back home to be with her every year. She is the only one that I have and I realise that there are certain things you just can't miss.

But lots of other 'important' events become almost very small in picture when 200 people are waiting for you on the sets where so much money has been spent. It becomes very difficult to say, "I have to go" when the people tell you, "We have to work."

Rajeev Masand: So you have learnt to sacrifice?

Preity Zinta: Yes, I guess so.

Rajeev Masand: Isn't it true that to be a successful actor one has to really become narcissistic? One has to perhaps learn loving oneself to watch oneself on-screen for a long period of time.

Preity Zinta: Well, no. But I wouldn't say that you are absolutely wrong. Though I am not completely in love with myself, but tomorrow, if I get one big p***le on my face, I am going to look at it. Because when I see my face spread on a 50-feet screen, that small p***le looks like a mountain to me. I agree that is being self-obsessed.

And to be a truly great human being; you have to stop yourself from getting trapped inside the actor in you. But just like an architect loves his sketches and designs, the same ways an actor finds his face and body the most important thing.

Your body is like a factory when you are in this profession. You have to look good, work out, make sure everything looks fine and then go out and perform. Acting is not about just performing. It's also about looking good and having a good appearance on-screen. If that is what you call is being narcissist, then actors are narcissist.

Though I am far from being a great human being, I would like to try being one. An overtly narcissist actor can never really become a superstar. A true actor is someone who shares, reacts and thinks not just about himself, but about the film as well.

Rajeev Masand: Actors get paid a lot of money for doing the easy job of running around trees and looking good all the time. This is the popular belief, but is it fair to say so?

Preity Zinta: It's very-very unfair to say something like this. Tell me who on earth would wear a short skirt and stand on top of a mountain at minus five degree temperature.

Tell me if you can find someone who would stand such odd temperatures at four in the morning; someone who would not complain, work hard and look good at the same time.

Tell me how is it to wake up at two in the morning? When I was shooting for Jhoom Barabar Jhoom in London recently, I used to get up at 0230 in the morning because the traffic could only be stopped from six in the morning till eight. I felt as if somebody was trying to kill me slowly. It's very difficult. There is a lot of hard work that goes into being an actor.

Rajeev Masand: So you have learnt to sacrifice?

Preity Zinta: Yes, I guess so.

Rajeev Masand: Isn't it true that to be a successful actor one has to really become narcissistic? One has to perhaps learn loving oneself to watch oneself on-screen for a long period of time.

Preity Zinta: Well, no. But I wouldn't say that you are absolutely wrong. Though I am not completely in love with myself, but tomorrow, if I get one big p***le on my face, I am going to look at it. Because when I see my face spread on a 50-feet screen, that small p***le looks like a mountain to me. I agree that is being self-obsessed.

And to be a truly great human being; you have to stop yourself from getting trapped inside the actor in you. But just like an architect loves his sketches and designs, the same ways an actor finds his face and body the most important thing.

Your body is like a factory when you are in this profession. You have to look good, work out, make sure everything looks fine and then go out and perform. Acting is not about just performing. It's also about looking good and having a good appearance on-screen. If that is what you call is being narcissist, then actors are narcissist.

Though I am far from being a great human being, I would like to try being one. An overtly narcissist actor can never really become a superstar. A true actor is someone who shares, reacts and thinks not just about himself, but about the film as well.

Rajeev Masand: Actors get paid a lot of money for doing the easy job of running around trees and looking good all the time. This is the popular belief, but is it fair to say so?

Preity Zinta: It's very-very unfair to say something like this. Tell me who on earth would wear a short skirt and stand on top of a mountain at minus five degree temperature.

Tell me if you can find someone who would stand such odd temperatures at four in the morning; someone who would not complain, work hard and look good at the same time.

Tell me how is it to wake up at two in the morning? When I was shooting for Jhoom Barabar Jhoom in London recently, I used to get up at 0230 in the morning because the traffic could only be stopped from six in the morning till eight. I felt as if somebody was trying to kill me slowly. It's very difficult. There is a lot of hard work that goes into being an actor.

Rajeev Masand: So you have learnt to sacrifice?

Preity Zinta: Yes, I guess so.

Rajeev Masand: Isn't it true that to be a successful actor one has to really become narcissistic? One has to perhaps learn loving oneself to watch oneself on-screen for a long period of time.

Preity Zinta: Well, no. But I wouldn't say that you are absolutely wrong. Though I am not completely in love with myself, but tomorrow, if I get one big p***le on my face, I am going to look at it. Because when I see my face spread on a 50-feet screen, that small p***le looks like a mountain to me. I agree that is being self-obsessed.

And to be a truly great human being; you have to stop yourself from getting trapped inside the actor in you. But just like an architect loves his sketches and designs, the same ways an actor finds his face and body the most important thing.

Your body is like a factory when you are in this profession. You have to look good, work out, make sure everything looks fine and then go out and perform. Acting is not about just performing. It's also about looking good and having a good appearance on-screen. If that is what you call is being narcissist, then actors are narcissist.

Though I am far from being a great human being, I would like to try being one. An overtly narcissist actor can never really become a superstar. A true actor is someone who shares, reacts and thinks not just about himself, but about the film as well.

Rajeev Masand: Actors get paid a lot of money for doing the easy job of running around trees and looking good all the time. This is the popular belief, but is it fair to say so?

Preity Zinta: It's very-very unfair to say something like this. Tell me who on earth would wear a short skirt and stand on top of a mountain at minus five degree temperature.

Tell me if you can find someone who would stand such odd temperatures at four in the morning; someone who would not complain, work hard and look good at the same time.

Tell me how is it to wake up at two in the morning? When I was shooting for Jhoom Barabar Jhoom in London recently, I used to get up at 0230 in the morning because the traffic could only be stopped from six in the morning till eight. I felt as if somebody was trying to kill me slowly. It's very difficult. There is a lot of hard work that goes into being an actor.

I met people in London who told me that the film was quite controversial. I was shooting for this dance sequence for Jhoom Barabar and people liked it so much that they gave a standing ovation and I felt perhaps it's an aftereffect of KANK's popularity.

But then there was this guy who came up to me and told me that I shouldn't have spoken with my on-screen husband (Shah Rukh Khan) the way I did in the film. Then I asked him if he was seeing someone to which, he replied he was neither married, nor was having a relationship with anyone. I asked him how could he judge what was right and wrong when he did not even know what problematic marriage meant.

People reacted to the film, but it was perhaps meant to make them react. Cinema is supposed to challenge the minds and the mentality of people working in a nine-to-five job with the basic monotony of life.

People turn around and say that Karan Johar has made a film too controversial. But tell me had he made a Kuch Kuch Hota Hai part three or a KKKG part two, would you not have killed the film? You all would have said, "He could never do anything different." Everybody would have slaughtered us.

So, I would rather take this mini-slaughter where we are being criticised for doing something different than being slaughtered for doing the same old thing again and not doing anything new. Of course not everybody in India is divorced, but there are people facing marital problems. Then why ignore it? Look at it, feel uncomfortable but at least accept it.

Rajeev Masand: So did you always expect unsettling sort of remarks for your film?

Preity Zinta: I don't know if I expected that. I remember Karan telling me all the time that I'm a small-town girl. Though I've always switched on and switched off in a role and am not the kind of person who takes back her films home. But KANK was something that I did take back home.

I did ponder over the fact that what if despite being successful, beautiful and righteous, your husband cheats on you, what is it that you can do? Would I be as nice and tell him to take it on a platter, or just be destructive and mean.

It just unsettled me completely. I hope this kind of a thing never happens to me and I'm sure that it would never happen to me. But it just was a weird feeling because what is it that you can do in a situation like this where you are the last one to find out that you have been cheated.

Rajeev Masand: Finally Preity, don't you think that there is too much pretence in being an actor? You always have to look good, have to be nice to everybody you meet, always have to smile, you just have to be at your best behaviour all the time. Isn't it?

Preity Zinta: I wouldn't say that there is too much pretence in being an actor, but I think the image that is associated with an actor is too-larger-than-life.

On a film set, it's different. You have a costume director, a director, 30-odd lights men, makeup man, dialogue writer, hair, wardrobe — all of these people collectively working together to make that one image that you portray on-screen.

From 'action' to 'cut', it's the image that has been worked upon. In real life, you don't have any of this strapping. It's just you. Then people expect you to match that look and appearance that those hundred people have worked upon to creating on-screen.

There are times when I'm going through a low phase in life or when something bad has happened in my life. I can't always look like smashing and amazing.

I wouldn't say being an actor is an all fake and lots of pretence. I would only say 'heavy is the head that wears the crown'. With the responsibility of that show business puts on your head, you might be a small simple person in your heart, but to the world you have to look like a big star.

Then there will be those few times when you will just open up yourself, sit with some close friends at home and let out the real you. But sadly, people don't want to see the real you. They want to see a smiling and happy-looking Preity signing autographs.

Rajeev Masand: Well, let's hope that we always see you signing entertaining movies, balancing out the real you and the image that everyone expects to see. You are doing a very good job. So carry on with it.

Preity Zinta: Thank you so much.