From testifying against Mumbai’s most feared gangsters to turning down a ₹600 crore inheritance and battling harassment by her former fiancé, actress Preity Zinta’s life off-screen has been as courageous and complex as her cinematic roles. Her story is a powerful reminder of the cost of integrity in Bollywood.
A Lone Voice Against the Mafia
In 2001, when the Mumbai underworld’s shadow loomed large over Bollywood, one actress stood her ground. Preity Zinta, known for her bubbly roles and dimpled smile, stunned the industry by testifying against gangsters allegedly involved in funding her film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. The film was reportedly bankrolled by Chhota Shakeel, a top aide of Dawood Ibrahim, with producers Bharat Shah and Nazim Rizvi facing jail time.
Zinta was lauded by some and left alone by most. “If I knew that everyone was going to back out, I also would have. It was a scary time in my life,” she recalled in a candid interview. “I should have been protected. Whatever I said in court was on TV ten minutes later.”
Her testimony was not just brave but defiant in a time when silence was often bought or enforced. “I was fine till they were scaring me, but once they started abusing, I lost it. I can take stress, but not people abusing me,” she said. Zinta shared that she even received intimidating calls from international numbers. “I learnt that if you get a call from +92, don’t pick up!”
Wealth Rejected: A ₹600 Crore Property Declined
In another instance that revealed her uncompromising character, Zinta turned down a staggering inheritance offer from Kamal Amrohi’s son, who had developed a close relationship with her. He reportedly wanted to name her the heir to Amrohi’s ₹600 crore ancestral property. But Zinta said no.
“I am not in such a bad position that someone else’s property is required,” she stated unequivocally.
Amrohi, defending his gesture, said, “If I said that Preity is like a daughter to me, did I commit a crime? These days people cast a wrong eye on their own daughters, and I gave respect to someone else’s daughter.”
This act of turning down a fortune reflected a rare ethical resolve in an industry where financial ties often dictate relationships and headlines.
A Fight for Dignity: Harassment Allegations Against Ness Wadia
In 2014, Zinta again found herself in the spotlight, this time for filing a police complaint against her former fiancé Ness Wadia, scion of one of India’s most powerful business families. She accused him of harassment and abuse during an IPL match at Wankhede Stadium. The complaint was serious enough to trigger a legal and media storm, although the matter was eventually settled out of court.
Her willingness to come forward against a prominent figure highlighted not only the personal trauma she endured but also the lack of institutional support for women speaking out against influential men.