IPL ‘rumours’ upset Preity

As an actress, Preity Zinta can take in her stride many things: the usual Bollywood gossip, the danger from Mumbai dons. On the cricket ground, she expects better.

The Kings XI Punjab co-owner has said she suffered only one low point during the Indian Premier League, and it wasn’t her team’s collapse in the semi-finals. It was the “rumours” that swirled constantly about her.

Preity did not reveal what these were but said they initially disturbed her deeply.

“It is only after I started thinking that this has happened because some people are upset that I am happy and successful (that) I started feeling better and concentrated on my work in a better way.”

She said the rumours demeaned her as a woman and a serious sports patron. “I had left my image as a film star behind and donned a new role when the IPL began. I was never dressed as a film star,” she said.

The actress had attended each of her team’s games, some with boyfriend and co-owner Ness Wadia, consciously avoiding her sex-symbol image. She would be dressed in casual clothes, her girl-next-door exuberance bubbling over as she jumped up and down in the stands, and would hug her “boys” afterwards like an excited fan.

In between, she spoke to the media about her team, showing a decent knowledge of the game.

“I wanted people to take me seriously,” Preity said. “I am no Barbie doll and such rumours which are normally the order of the day on a film set was very demeaning to me as a woman.”

Preity has been no Barbie doll in Bollywood either. She was the only star, male or female, to show the courage to testify in court on filmdom’s links with the underworld.

“I was not just a brand ambassador,” Preity said, explaining she had made a huge personal investment in her IPL team.

“I worked hard right from the bidding, auction and, throughout the team’s journey, I was present. We created an atmosphere of friendship among all the players.”

She said she was proud of her team’s achievements despite the loss in the semi-finals. “We have a year to prepare for the second season.”

Preity said she planned to promote cricket at the grassroots by improving the infrastructure. “We have Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir as (our) catchment area. Punjab Cricket Association president I.S. Bindra and Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal have been very helpful,” she said.

Asked if her team had made profits, she replied: “We made huge investments and things are going the way we expected.”