Preity Zinta on Batwara 1947 comeback: ‘I didn’t miss acting’, says motherhood was her biggest milestone

Actor Preity Zinta, known for films like Dil Se, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Veer-Zaara, and Lakshya, stepped away from acting after moving to Los Angeles and starting a family. She returned to cinema with Rajkumar Santoshi’s Batwara 1947, a period drama. While many assumed she was waiting for a comeback, she stated her priorities were family. ‘I didn’t miss it, to be honest. I was having a family. It was new to me. I was focusing on my personal life,’ she said. Her return was not driven by a desire for a comeback but by a call from her co-star Aamir Khan, who approached her for Batwara 1947, a project she had long wanted to work on. Initially, she expected a comedy but was surprised by the serious period drama. Santoshi’s direction grounded her expectations, emphasizing the realities of 1947. ‘When I used to ask Raj ji what to do in a scene, he’d say, ‘Preity, aap khana banao.’ Next scene, ‘Preity, aap safai karo.’ She found comfort in reuniting with Sunny Deol, who reassured her with humor. The experience left her reflecting on how far things have come for women, appreciating her own choices and freedoms.