‘Now... I can't go out with any guy’

Actress-entrepreneur Preity Zinta is starting a new chapter in her life following her breakup with businessman Ness Wadia. The only thing that bothers her are link-ups with co-stars and friends, as a result of which none of her male friends, she says, want to go out with her.

"I'm surrounded by celebrities who are constantly discussing their personal lives. I'm the same Preity Zinta I used to be. You won't find me discussing my private life in detail. I'm in a very good space right now," Preity told IANS.

"The only problem is any man whom I'm seen with in public is automatically linked with me. I've come to a place where none of my male friends want to go out with me anymore! I think I'll just have to pick my date for the next public event through a contest!" she added laughing.

Preity, who is co-owner of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kings XI Punjab, has to cope with being linked to not only her co-stars but also cricketers now.

"Can you imagine, members of my own team! I've always maintained I'd never mix business and pleasure. Now that I'm getting fully into business, I'm narrowing my chances of finding a man. I know I'd never get into criminal activities, so maybe..."

Talking about her new equation with former boyfriend Ness Wadia, Preity said: "The media has been trying to find awkwardness in our equation. Why should that be? We're still good friends. We're no longer seeing each other. We're colleagues now.

"If ever I'm in a situation, I'm sure he'd watch my back, as I'd watch his. But would people let go of this fascination with the equation between me and Ness? It's been one year since we broke up."

Preity has been spending a lot of time outside Mumbai and says she goes out of the city to avoid prying eyes.

"Whenever I'm not shooting I'm out of the country. Don't get me wrong. I love Mumbai to death. But tell me what can an actor can do in the city if she isn't working? I can't go out partying. I can't even take a jog. What do I do on a Sunday? I can't even go out.

"Now (after the Ness episode) it's become worse. I can't go out with any guy. If I do I've to beg some women to come along, otherwise the guy and I get linked up. I can't handle it anymore," said Preity.

She describes her stint at the Harvard Business School as the best time of her life. "I took the plunge in December and went back to school, to Harvard School. Believe you me, it was the most enriching experience of my life. I didn't do it because I wanted to go back to college. I wanted to learn about business management so I could be a better entrepreneur."

"I had the best time of my life. I felt so proud to see so many young Asian students in Harvard. That was the future...I learnt negotiations and mergers, acquisitions, etc. There were students from all over the world, including, of course Asians. More than just the course, the questions that the students asked were so pertinent."

Preity is ready to get back to films in a big way now. "But as far as my role in the IPL cricket team is concerned it's all settled down now... My focus is now back to movies. I'm on the verge of signing new films."

She says that 2010 will be a good year for her.

"Last year I was too busy experiencing life to talk about it. 2009 was a year of learning for me. Now I reap the dividends of what I learnt. I went back to college.

"I wasn't travelling and nursing a broken heart. Just because I wasn't giving explanations. The worst you can do to someone who's recovering from an emotional setback is to crowd them. I should've been left alone. It's like a death in your family.

"Those condolence calls just set your teeth on edge. My way of dealing with my breakup was to move on. The Harvard experience really rejuvenated me. I've come back a different person. You watch 2010 is going to be the best year of my life. As Mr. (Amitabh) Bachchan would say, it's going to be mindboggling."

Indo-Asian News Service