Bollywood holds many such stories that are unheard off. And not everything is glitz and glamour. The film industry does come with its dark side. Friendships, rivalry, nepotism and more – Bollywood has often been a subject of debate thanks to these. There was a time when Bollywood was also associated with underworld. There are stories of Bollywood celebrities who received extortion calls, actresses who fell in love with dons and many more.
So here’s a story of an actress who did not give in to the demands of underworld dons and rather showcased a very brave front by going against one. She is also the diva who rejected a massive gift of Rs 600 crore from a film producer. With her dedication and hardwork, she became one of the most bankable divas in the 90s and 2000s and till today, she is one of the most favourite stars of all.
The actress in discussion is . She has some of the biggest films registered in her name. Films like Kya Kehnaa, Sangarsh, Soldier, Veer Zaara, Lakshya, Koi Mil Gaya… and many more superhits had Preity Zinta playing pivotal roles. She was much loved and appreciated by all. She was among the top stars competing with actresses like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Rani Mukerji and many more. Yet she managed to be at the top of her game. But did you know that she also received a bravery award for going against an underworld don?
Back in 2001, there was significant influence of underworld on Bollywood. Underworld don Chhota Shakeel has a strong hold over the film industry. As per reports, producer Bharat Shah was arrested for allegedly helping him to invest in movies. As the investigation went further, Preity Zinta reportedly stood up against Chhota Shakeel and testified in court that she received extortion calls from the gang. Later, reportedly, Union Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani advised the actress to take armed security but she denied. It was a big headline in back then. But Preity Zinta’s bravery was all that was discussed. She even received the Godfrey Philips National Bravery Award for the same.
Later, in 2018, during an India Today conclave, Preity Zinta spoke about the incident and said, “For the record, if I knew that everyone was going to back out, I also would have. It was a scary time in my life. I should have been protected. Whatever I said in court was on TV ten minutes later.”
The Chori Chori Chupke Chupke actress also denied to inherit a property worth Rs 600 crore that was being gifted to her by a filmmaker. Producer Shandaar Amrohi considered Preity Zinta as his daughter and that is why he wanted to give her the ancestral property. However, she refused to accept it. She was present to pay her last respects when he passed away.
Preity Zinta is currently leading a happy life with husband Gene Goodenough and their two children. She is making a comeback with Lahore 1947 and will be reuniting with Sunny Deol.
