After its release was postponed thrice, Preity Zinta’s debut film as a producer Ishkq in Paris finally opened this week, albeit to a lukewarm response. The film is special to Preity also because she will be seen on the screen after a gap of three years. She was last seen in a cameo in Prem’s directorial debut, Main Aur Mrs Khanna .
Says Preity, “I realise over the last three years a lot has changed. Filmmakers no longer follow the hero-heroine-villain formula. I hope the changes have a positive impact because the common man is still influenced by films.”
Talking about Ishkq in Paris , she says it’s a film for the entire family. “We have portrayed women in a good light and I feel nice about it. My mother, the co-producer, is also proud about this fact.”
More than films, Preity has been in the news as the co-owner of the IPL team, Kings XI Punjab.
“I always wanted to do things beyond movies and my choices have been unconventional. When I started my career with a 20-minute role in Dil Se , everybody warned that I will be typecast. But I wasn’t. What was technically my debut — Kya Kehna — had me playing an unwed mother. Heroines are usually launched in romcoms. I have done 36 films till date and all are very different.”
Though Ishkq in Paris has released a week before the highly talked about Ranbir Kapoor-Deepika Padukone starrer Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani , Preity is unfazed.
“I don’t think it will in any way affect my film.” And asked why she chose to release the film at the peak of the IPL fever, Preity says, “An IPL match is over in three hours. There’s a whole day for the audiences to watch the film.”
Actor, producer and business woman, Preity has her hands full. “My decisions are not always driven by commercial motives. For instance, the release of Ishkq in Paris was inordinately delayed because the director (Prem) lost his father during the film's making. Later, Prem was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo a surgery. You need have a humane approach under such circumstances. I cannot do business ruthlessly. I like to do things my way,” says Preity with her famous dimpled smile.
