Preity Zinta Birthday Special: From Naina to Zaara, 7 memorable characters played by the actress

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta was born in the beautiful city of Shimla on January 31, 1975.

She was highly interested in English Literature and graduated from St. Bede's College with a degree in English Honors.

After getting another degree in Criminal Psychology, Zinta made a name for herself in modelling. She started her career with commercials and went on to be become a successful actress in Bollywood.

Preity's debut film was 'Dil Se' where she appeared in a supporting role. Her part was relatively small but she was able to impress the audiences and critics through it. Preity earned a Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress for 'Dil Se'.

Following the same year, Preity bagged the role of the leading actress in 'Soldier' opposite Bobby Deol. The film earned her a lot of fame. She was later recognised for her role as a teenage single mother in 'Kya Kehna'.

Preity has done many memorable roles, that even after not being active in the film industry for soo long, she still manages to be in the spotlight.

Here is a list of some of her most memorable roles

1) Priya Bakshi - Kya Kehna

Priya Bakshi, everyone’s favourite and a girl with happy soul gets trapped in so called love by his college mate Rahul. Priya fails to identify the real face of Rahul and as expected Rahul walks out, leaving Priya alone.

Things becomes tougher when Priya realises that she is pregnant and decides to have the child. As a result, her family kicks her out of home and the society which once adored her, decides to reject her.

2) Shalini - Dil Chahta Hain

After losing her parents at a very early age, Shalini’s father’s business partner adopts her. Shalini feels that she is a burden on them. But at the same time, she also realises that she is not independent and remains loyal to his family.

Shalini starts loving Akash but gets engaged to Rohit, the son of her father’s business partner.

3) Naina Catherine Kapur - Kal Ho Na Ho

Naina Catherine Kapur is an MBA student who lives in New York. Naina lives with her widow mother Jennifer, adopted sister Gia, disabled brother Shiv and paternal grandmother Lajjo.

Rohit loves Naina, and asks Aman’s help for convincing her. Rohit finally proposes her and she accepts. During Naina and Rohit’s engagement, Aman has a heart attack. But later on everything gets fine and Aman attends Rohit and Naina’s wedding.

4) Nisha Malhotra - Koi Mil Gaya

Nisha Malhotra, a young lady who initially hates Rohit because of his childish pranks. But later on, she becomes sympathetic towards him. The entry of alien Jaadu in the movie turns everything. The movie ends the Nisha getting married to Rohit.

5) Ambar Malhotra - Salaam Namaste

Ambar Malhotra goes to Melbourne, Australia for studying Medicine. She wanted to overcome the idea of marriage and so she joins a radio station namely ‘Salaam Namaste’.

Then she meets Nikhil Arora, who is a chef at a restaurant in Melbourne. Both fall for each other and their story begins. The film teaches us is that falling in love is easy but sticking to the relationship is a challenge.

6) Zaara Haayat Khan - Veer Zaara

The film showcases how a Pakistani girl Zaara Haayat Khan, who hails from a powerful political family, and an Indian Air Force pilot met by chance and fell in love. It showed how both of them sacrificed their lives for each other.

Veer is imprisoned on false charges, and a young Pakistani lawyer, named Saamiya Siddiqui, fights his case. In the end, they are reunited after many years apart.

7) Madhubala - Chori Chori Chupke Chupke

Madhubala, a prostitute agrees to become a surrogate mother to Raj and Priya’s child. Trouble brews when Madhubala falls in love with Raj and insists on keeping the child.