Preity
flew
into
Mumbai
on
Wednesday
from
her
busy
schedule
in
Mohali
to
record
a
promotional
clipping
for
the
Bachchans'
Unforgettables
tour.
If
you've
been
wondering
why
Preity
is
seen
in
dark
glasses
at
all
her
IPL
events
in
and
out
of
Mohali,
it's
not
for
fashionable
causes.
A
seemingly
minor
eye
injury
two
weeks
ago
blew
up
into
a
serious
problem
for
Preity
Zinta.
"Anything
could've
happened," she
shudders.
"At
an
event
in
Mohali,
two
weeks
ago,
a
stranger's
elbow
jabbed
into
my
eye.
I
felt
the
room
swim.
And
the
eye
got
immediately
swollen.
But
after
ice-pack
treatment
for
hours
it
seemed
to
be
in
control.
Little
did
I
know
what
was
in
store."
In
the
next
few
days
Preity's
eye
condition
worsened.
"The
pupil
acquired
every
colour
in
the
rainbow,
and
the
cornea
shrank.
I
was
in
a
panic.
My
mother
was
so
worried.
Finally,
I
went
to
a
really
good
doctor,
the
same
one
who
looks
after
the
Bachchans' eyes.
At
last
my
eye
is
healed."
Now
Preity
intends
to
maintain
a
safe
distance
from
crowds
during
her
public
appearances
in
Mohali.
The
Bachchans
and
Preity
seem
to
be
bonded
in
more
ways
than
one.
And
the
bonding
gets
stronger
now
that
Preity
joins
them
on
their
world
tour.
"I'm
very
fond
of
Jayaji
and
Amitji.
And
Abhishek
is
a
chum.
I
also
think
Aishwarya
is
very
cool.
In
fact,
I'm
now
joining
them
on
their
world
tour
in
July.
And
really
looking
forward
to
it."
Unlike
the
other
actors
like
Akshay
Kumar
and
Shahid
Kapoor
who
would
be
making
appearances
at
selected
venues,
Preity
will
be
accompanying
the
Bachchans
throughout
their
2-month
tour.
Several
actresses
who
were
verbally
committed
to
join
the
Bachchans
chickened
out
with
lame
excuses.
Putting
aside
her
plans
to
return
to
acting
after
the
IPL
activities
in
July
Preity
decided
to
join
the
Bachchans
for
their
world
concerts.
She
brushes
off
any
suggestion
of
largesse.
"I
don't
know
why
the
other
actresses
aren't
going.
The
Bachchans
are
my
buddies.
They
asked
me,
I
agreed.
As
simple
as
that.
In
fact,
I've
been
on
a
world
tour
with
them
before
and
I
had
myself
a
ball.
I'm
looking
forward
to
this
one
too.
And
I
do
not
care
who's
going
with
them,
or
not."
What
she
does
care
about
is
the
oncoming
IPL
matches
in
Mohali
and
not
only
for
the
matches.
"The
people
there
are
so
warm
and
friendly.
Ness
and
I
have
begun
to
care
for
the
town.
See
while
the
others
in
the
IPL
have
got
developed
cities,
we're
the
only
ones
who
were
given
a
town
that's
growing.
And
we're
so
proud
to
be
part
of
that
growth.
Mohali
is
an
air-force
base
so
only
army
planes
land
there.
There's
already
talk
of
an
international
airport
and
several
luxury
hotels
in
the
town,
all
thanks
to
the
IPL."
Speaking
of
her
team's
rocking
music
video
Preity
giggles,
"Ram
Madhvani
shot
our
film
exactly
the
way
we
wanted.
Daler
Mehndi
captured
the
flavour
and
ethos
of
Punjab
so
wonderfully
in
his
song.
We
wanted
it
to
be
about
the
spirit
of
the
game
and
we
wanted
the
people
of
Chandigarh
and
Mohali
to
participate.
I
made
just
a
fleeting
appearance
in
it.
It
felt
good.
I
haven't
faced
the
camera
for
some
months."
Story first published: Thursday, April 24, 2008, 17:23 [IST]