Mumbai, September 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Actress Preity Zinta has reflected on the changes she has witnessed in Bollywood during her nearly three-decade journey, highlighting shifts in filmmaking technology as well as the themes explored by Hindi cinema.
Speaking exclusively to IANS, Preity recalled entering the industry in the late 1990s, a period she described as one of significant transition. She said films were beginning to experiment with different storytelling approaches, while filmmaking later moved from traditional film cameras to digital technology.
Looking back at her early career, the actress cited her 1998 debut in Dil Se and her subsequent work in films such as Kya Kehna as examples of the changing landscape.
She recalled that Dil Chahta Hai in 2001 marked an important change in filmmaking, particularly through the use of live sound, which reduced the reliance on dubbing.
Preity said that while digital cameras and advances in post-production have transformed the technical side of filmmaking, the pressure on actors and filmmakers to deliver remains largely unchanged.
She also pointed to what she sees as a change in the themes of mainstream Hindi cinema. According to Preity, Bollywood has gradually moved away from the NRI-focused romances that were particularly popular in an earlier era towards stories rooted more strongly in India.
“There’s a lot more pride in being Indian,” she said, noting the growing presence of films centred on India’s history, the armed forces and national identity.
The actress also observed that technological advances have changed the way performances are recorded. Unlike the earlier era, when scenes could be extensively corrected through dubbing, live sound has made it more important for actors to get performances right on set, except in situations where dubbing is required because of noise or other technical issues.
Preity made her acting debut with Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se in 1998 and went on to establish herself with several successful Bollywood films. After an extended break from acting, she returned to theatres with the period drama Batwara 1947.
Directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and backed by Aamir Khan Productions, Batwara 1947, starring Sunny Deol, was released on August 14, 2026.
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