"There's a feeling of dismay about the IPL" - Preity Zinta
Preity Zinta is hassled but ever-optimistic about the repercussions of the IPL being re-located to South Africa. She talks to Subhash K Jha
You
sound
very
stressed?
These
last
few
days
have
been
very
hard
on
me,
thanks
to
all
the
hassles
connected
to
the
Indian
Premiere
League
(IPL).
Was
it
a
shock
to
you
when
the
IPL
was
relocated
to
South
Africa?
The
situation
is
such,
what
to
do?
The
option
was
to
either
have
it
outside
India
or
not
at
all.
No
one
is
happy
to
shift
from
home
ground.
That
thrill
of
playing
across
our
own
country
at
domestic
tournaments
is
gone.
Going
to
various
cities
with
the
matches
is
a
high.
However,
people
can
still
watch
it
on
TV.
That's
still
there.
But
an
Indian
event
shifted
to
South
Africa?
I
know.
But
we've
to
be
optimistic.
Last
year
when
the
IPL
started
everyone
thought
it
would
flop.
It
became
the
biggest
hit
ever.
Likewise
the
shift
to
SA
could
make
the
IPL
bigger.
What
else
can
I
do
except
be
hopeful?
But
it's
being
trans-located
to
a
new
culture
and
environment?
Of
course
it
is!
But
what
can
we
do?
I've
always
believed
whatever
happens
in
life
happens
for
the
best.
The
timing
of
the
IPL
crisis
was
unfortunate.
My
most
challenging
film
Heaven
On
Earth
is
on
release.
I'd
have
liked
more
time
nurturing
it.
You
know
I
did
Heaven
On
Earth
for
myself.
Lots
of
times
I've
done
things
for
this
reason
and
that.
But
this
time
it
was
entirely
for
me.
And
I
don't
mean
that
in
any
selfish
way.
I
just
needed
to
connect
more
with
my
inner
self.
This
film
made
me
do
that.
Tell
me
about
your
preparation
for
the
role.
I've
worked
quite
a
lot
with
battered
women.
I've
studied
so
many
kinds
of
mental
disorders.
Domestic
violence
comes
much
after
other
forms
of
disorder.
Every
scene
in
Heaven
On
Earth
rings
true.
I
had
a
hundred
notions
on
how
to
play
the
role.
But
when
I
met
abused
women
I
decided
it
has
to
be
very
real.
I'm
very
proud
of
it.
Let's
see
how
the
audiences
in
India
react.
So
the
timing
of
IPL
was
unfortunate
then!
Yes,
it
was
a
little
unfortunate.
No
matter
how
positive
we
try
to
be
about
the
situation
there's
undoubtedly
a
feeling
of
dismay
about
the
IPL
moving
out
of
India.
It's
amazing
how
such
a
thing
could
happen.
It's
like
uprooting
a
national
event?
Exactly.
It's
like
asking
an
actor
to
perform
in
a
theatre
where
nobody
knows
him.
But
we'll
make
sure
that
the
quality
and
profile
of
the
game
doesn't
change.
Only
two
percent
of
the
audience
watches
the
game
in
a
stadium.
Most
of
them
watch
the
game
on
television.
But
there's
that
vibe
when
the
game
happens
on
home
ground.
That
spirit
can't
be
captured
anywhere.
Having
said
that,
I
don't
want
to
sound
whiny
and
petty,
I
want
to
thank
South
Africa
for
agreeing
to
host
the
IPL
games.
They've
gone
out
of
their
way
to
accommodate
us,
flung
their
fields
open
to
us.
I
think
South
Africa
will
make
a
beautiful
home
for
the
games.
Wasn't
the
choice
between
South
Africa
and
England?
Yes
there
were
several
options.
But
it
finally
came
down
to
choosing
between
those
two
countries.
We
didn't
want
to
go
into
a
place
where
there
was
too
much
rain.
I
think
SA
will
be
fun.
Who
knows,
they
might
even
allow
me
to
play.
That's
my
secret
fantasy.
Miracles
do
happen,
you
know.
So
is
South
Africa
going
to
be
the
permanent
venue
for
the
IPL?
If
India
decides
to
have
elections
every
year,
who
knows?
Ironically,
South
Africa
is
also
holding
elections.
Is
it
just
elections
that
ousted
IPL
from
India?
Or
was
there
a
security
scare
after
what
happened
to
the
Sri
Lankan
cricket
team
in
Pakistan?
I
refused
to
believe
India
is
scared
about
the
security.
Does
the
country
shut
down
because
we
can't
get
enough
security?
I
think
we
need
to
vote
even
more
carefully.
We
must
put
the
proper
people
in
places
of
power.
I
don't
think
we
should
vote
for
anyone
-ANYONE
-
who
has
got
criminal
records.
See
their
track
records
and
then
vote.
How
will
you
be
ready
for
the
IPL
in
SA
in
time?
We
Indians
don't
only
exist
in
chaos.
We
thrive
in
it.
Even
last
year
when
IPL
happened
for
the
first
time
we
grappled
with
all
odds.
I
know
I'm
going
to
have
sleepless
nights.
But
that's
a
different
story.
I
can't
pretend
I'm
not
disappointed
by
the
relocation.
But
South
Africa
is
a
terrific
country.
I'll
have
lots
to
do
besides
cricket.
In
Punjab
it
was
difficult
for
me
to
move
out.
Preity
Zinta
will
have
a
blast
shopping
in
SA.
Preity
Zinta
the
team
owner
is
worried.
We've
no
players
from
SA.
Neither
does
Shahrukh.
Are
the
boys
demoralized
by
the
relocation?
Their
choice
was
between
no
IPL
and
IPL
in
South
Africa.