Zinta began modelling while in college, appearing in several television commercials, before making her debut in Mani Ratnam's Dil Se.. (1998) to critical acclaim despite her short role. She proceeded to become a significant critically-acclaimed and commercially successful actor throughout the rest of The '90s and the Turn of the Millennium, appearing in a variety of roles ranging from comedy to drama. Preity has been noted for her unconventional and "culturally defiant" choice of roles, particularly for the time period in Bollywood when she was most active, most notably her turn as a teenage mother in Kya Kehna (2000).
Zinta also is an entrepreneur, co-owning two sports teams, and has engaged in humanitarian work. She has been married to American businessman Gene Goodenough since 2016. The couple have two children.
Selected Filmography:
- Dil Se.. (1998) as Preeti Nair
- Kya Kehna (2000) as Priya Bakshi
- Dil Chahta Hai (2001) as Shalini
- Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) as Naina Catherine Kapur
- Koi... Mil Gaya (2003) as Nisha Malhotra
- Veer-Zaara (2004) as Zaara Hayaat Khan
