Editing Preity Zinta (section)

==Early life and background==
Preity Zinta was born on 31 January 1975 into a [[Culture of Himachal Pradesh|Himachali]] [[Rajput]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Preity Zinta shares selfie channelising her inner Himachali |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/entertainment/bollywood/preity-zinta-shares-selfie-channelising-her-inner-himachali20200630201139/ |access-date=30 September 2024 |website=ANI News |language=en}}</ref> Hindu family from [[Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 January 2009 |title='I'm a rare combination of British and Rajput blood' |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/i-m-a-rare-combination-of-british-and-rajput-blood/story-6g7OpuvukgM5XWHx3IjWQJ.html |work=Hindustan Times |quote=In the early 18th century, when marital alliances between the Rajput and British became quite common, the Zinta clan was born. I'm the rare combination of British and Rajput blood," she added}}</ref><ref name="birth_details" /><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.stardustindia.com/display_garam.asp?issue=February2006&id=1 |title=Preity turns one-plus-thirty |date=31 January 2006 |work=[[Stardust (magazine)|Stardust]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060908011722/http://www.stardustindia.com/display_garam.asp?issue=February2006&id=1 |archive-date=8 September 2006 |access-date=4 December 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/happy-birthday-preity-zinta-did-you-know-her-decision-to-enter-bollywood-was-based-on-a-coin-flip-101611932180125.html |title=Happy birthday Preity Zinta: Did you know her decision to enter Bollywood was based on a coin flip? |date=31 January 2021 |work=[[Hindustan Times]] |access-date=31 January 2021 |url-status=live |archive-date=31 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210131013609/https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/happy-birthday-preity-zinta-did-you-know-her-decision-to-enter-bollywood-was-based-on-a-coin-flip-101611932180125.html}}</ref> Her father, Durganand Zinta, was an officer in the [[Indian Army]].<ref name="Zinta the PM">{{cite news |author=Sharma, Mandvi |title='I would've been the PM' |date=24 June 2006 |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1676771,curpg-1.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |access-date=24 June 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112211943/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1676771,curpg-1.cms |archive-date=12 January 2011}}</ref> He died in a car accident when she was thirteen; the accident also involved her mother, Nilprabha, who was severely injured and consequently remained bedridden for two years. Zinta called the tragic accident and her father's death a significant turning point in her life, which forced her to mature rapidly.<ref name="The Preity Zinta interview">{{cite web |author=Khubchandani, Lata |title=I had this illusion that filmstars are like kings and queens |date=22 May 2000 |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2000/may/22preity.htm |work=Rediff.com |access-date=15 September 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124222923/http://www.rediff.com/movies/2000/may/22preity.htm |archive-date=24 November 2007}}</ref> She has two brothers; Deepankar and Manish, a year older and a year younger, respectively. Deepankar is a commissioned officer in the Indian Army, while Manish lives in California.<ref name="washpostbrave">{{cite news |first=John |last=Lancaster |title=Bollywood Star's Act Makes Her a Hero, and Possible Target |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-234600.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |page=A16 |date=23 January 2003 |access-date=24 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105070109/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-234600.html |archive-date=5 November 2012 |via=[[Highbeam Research]]}}</ref>

Zinta, who describes herself as having been a tomboy as a child, has emphasised her father's military background as having given her a lasting impression on how family life was to be conducted. He asserted the importance of discipline and punctuality to the children.<ref name="Early life">{{cite news |author=Khubchandani, Lata |title=My Fundays – Preity Zinta |date=4 May 2006 |url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060504/asp/telekids/story_6177744.asp |newspaper=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]] |access-date=7 May 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930055612/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060504/asp/telekids/story_6177744.asp |archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref> She studied at the [[Convent of Jesus and Mary, Shimla|Convent of Jesus and Mary boarding school]] in [[Shimla]]. Although she confesses to loneliness in the boarding school, she noted that it was compensated by her finding a "...{{nbs}}perfect set of friends" there.<ref name="Zinta the PM" /><ref name="good times">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/09/stories/2002090900390100.htm |title=Poised for pretty good times! |access-date=9 November 2007 |author=Siddiqui, Rana |date=9 September 2002 |newspaper=[[The Hindu]] |location=Chennai, India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223192429/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/09/09/stories/2002090900390100.htm |archive-date=23 December 2007}}</ref> As a student, she developed a love for literature, particularly the works of [[William Shakespeare]] and poetry.<ref name="Zinta the PM" /> According to Zinta, she enjoyed schoolwork and received good grades; in her free time she played sports, especially basketball.<ref name="The Preity Zinta interview" />

After her schooling at Convent of Jesus and Mary, Zinta enrolled at [[St. Bede's College, Shimla|St. Bede's College]] in Shimla, an affiliated college of [[Himachal Pradesh University]].<ref name="Zinta the PM" /> She graduated with an [[English literature|English honours]] degree, and then started a graduate programme in psychology.<ref name="Talk Asia interview">{{cite news |author=Hahn, Lorraine |title=Bollywood Actress, Preity Zinta Talk Asia Interview Transcript |date=11 January 2005 |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/11/talkasia.zinta.script/ |publisher=CNN |access-date=8 November 2007 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121003627/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/11/talkasia.zinta.script/ |archive-date=21 November 2007}}</ref> She earned a postgraduate degree in [[criminal psychology]], but later took up modelling.<ref name="Zinta the PM" /> Zinta's first television commercial was for ''Perk'' chocolates, the result of a chance meeting with a director at a friend's birthday party in 1996.<ref name="Zinta the PM" /> The director persuaded Zinta to audition for the spot, and she was selected. Afterwards, she appeared in other catalogues and commercials, including one for the soap [[Liril]].<ref name="The Preity Zinta interview" /><ref name="Talk Asia interview" />