Kings XI Punjab fall in with Whirlpool

IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab, owned by smouldering Bollywood icon Preity Zinta, has signed leading home appliances manufacturer Whirlpool as a co-sponsor and ‘cooling partner’ for the upcoming tournament.

The deal is believed to be worth some US$2 million for the season. For that investment, Whirlpool will have their logo on the team’s jerseys and will also receive in-stadia branding, placards, branding on cheer leader podium and seats in designated stand.

Arvind Uppal, managing director of Whirlpool India commented at length on the deal: “The Indian Premier League is the most eagerly anticipated event in the sporting calendar of the sub-continent,” he said. “It is a huge draw for both national and international cricket fans. We are very excited to be an integral part of the tournament through our association with Kings XI Punjab, which is an excellent platform to connect with our customers.”

Anil Srivatsa, chief executive of Kings XI Punjab, was equally thrilled: “We are thrilled to partner with World’s nuber one home appliances company, Whirlpool,” he said. “They are dynamic and share the same passion like us to promote Cricket.

“Through this association we are hoping to bring an enthralling season that brings ‘Cricketainment’ to the general public and some interesting promotions specially for our fans. We will indeed be energized further with our Cooling Partner-Whirpool. We will need them as we turn up the heat.”

The third edition of the IPL, the Twenty20 cricket league that has ignited the sport of cricket, starts on 12th March.

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Sports Illustrated India’s top 50 most influential people in Indian sport

23. Preity Zinta (Team Owner, Kings XI Punjab)

Because she is the first high-profile female owner of any sports team in India. Because she brings her dimpled stardom to the stands when Kings XI Punjab play on their home ground at Mohali. Because she doesn’t mince words and is fully hands on in the running of the team. Because she had the guts to sack captain Yuvraj Singh and replace him with Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara.

Because she decided to educate herself in the rudiments of sports business by enrolling at the Harvard Business School to undergo a short executive course in negotiating and dealmaking. Because her team was the first to discover and sign the talented Australian Shaun Marsh. Because she is always there, cheering and motivating her team in every match. Because her presence as one of India’s most bankable stars ensures ticket sales. Because she is the face of her team, despite the fact that its three other owners have invested more money than she has.

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Emami ropes in Dhoni, Preity Zinta as brand ambassadors

The Emami group has roped in Indian cricket skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and actress Preity Zinta as brand ambassadors for a yet to be launched edible oil brand, the company said in a statement Wednesday.

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain of the Indian cricket team as well as of the Chennai Super Kings of the IPL fame, and Preity Zinta, renowned actress and co-owner of Kings XI Punjab, have been signed up by Emami as its new brand ambassadors,” it said.

Edible oils range will include soya, mustard, rice bran, palm and sunflower.

“The celebrity duo has come together to do a TVC (television commercial) for the company’s brand. The ad film is directed by Prahlad Kakkar,” the Emami statement added.

The Rs 2,500 crore city-based group has business interests in fast moving consumer goods, paper and news print, writing instruments, edible oil and cultivation, bio-diesel, hospitals, pharmacy, cement, real estate and retail.

Check out photos from the shoot here

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‘Gladiator’ Dhoni & ‘Superwoman’ Preity shoot Emami Cooking Oil commercial

On the cricket field, they may belong to rival IPL teams but when Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain of Chennai Super Kings) and Preity Zinta (co-owner of Kings XI Punjab) came together for an ad shoot yesterday, all rivalry was forgotten. Mahi and Preity shot a commercial for Emami Cooking Oil and if these pics are anything to go by, the chemistry between them was indeed there for one and all to see. Dhoni was dressed in a Gladiator like avatar, while PZ was given a Super-woman like get-up with a body-hugging silver dress and a red cape to go with.

While the commercial was directed by noted ad-man Prahlad Kakkar, a special photo shoot featuring the duo was done by ace-photographer Dabboo Ratnani. We got in touch with Dabboo and asked him about his experience of this special photo shoot, “It was a great experience shooting with Preity and Dhoni. They first shot for the commercial with Prahlad Kakkar and then did this photo-shoot which we will use in the ad posters. I’ve shot with Preity countless times before, she is very charming and a complete sweetheart to work with. As for Dhoni, this was probably the second or third time that I was doing a shoot with him. He is extremely cool, chilled out and very receptive. He was totally involved in the photo shoot, putting in his 100% effort and was very comfortable in front of the camera. All in all, we had a great time.”

The commercial is likely to go on air in ten days from now when Dhoni’s Men In Blue will be busy taking on the South African cricket team in what promises to be a grueling contest.

Check out photos from the shoot here

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Happy Birthday Preity Zinta

I would like to wish Preity Zinta a very happy birthday! The world is blessed to have such a wonderful actor and human being! Keep rocking and kicking the world! Lot’s of happiness and love from all your fans here at PreityZinta-FanClub.com. You were the reason I started working for this site and you are the reason I keep it up.

I wish you all the succes and many more years to come! Best wishes from all your fans over the whole globe!

PZFC is fully dressed in a birthday theme for the one and only Preity! Check out the Twitter page, Forum and of course the blog for the birthday banner. I hope you will love it Preity! Credit to Noove for the forum banner and the rest is made by me.

PZFC loves Preity! A big hug and lot’s of kisses!!

Back to business

It’s been a year since she broke up with boyfriend Ness Wadia. Since then, Preity Zinta may have been missing from Bollywood, but she’s charted new territory with a course at Harvard Business School.

Speaking at length about that experience Preity says, “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 wanted to learn about business management so that I could be a better entrepreneur.”

The actress attended classes at Harvard for three weeks, every day from 9am to 11pm. “When I joined films, I never went to an acting school. Then last year, I did a two-day workshop with Anupam Kher. It enriched me so much. I wondered why I never went to acting school. Now that I am an entrepreneur, I didn’t want to look back and ask the same question one day… I had to go to the best business school in the world. When I filled out the admission form for Harvard, my hands were shaking. I had tried earlier and couldn’t get in,” adds Preity.

When she got selected, she was ecstatic. “I got in on sheer merit and not because I was a star in Bollywood. When I went there, I was so nervous. I wasn’t even computer savvy. I was scared I wouldn’t understand a lot of what was said in the classes. But I didn’t get scared to put up my hand in class and ask questions. No one knew me there.”

Preity Zinta gets stuck in airport toilet

Bollywood actress and IPL teamowner Preity Zinta spent 10 minutes stuck in a toilet at the Delhi airport last night.

“I spent 10 minutes stuck in the toilet at the airport. Finally had to climb the wall and jump over… People were calling out my name,” the actress, who was to board a Mumbai-bound flight, wrote on her Twitter account.

“Being a tomboy when I was younger definitely helped.
Trying to climb a wall is never easy,” she said, adding that the incident happened as the door got jammed.

Preity said, “I thought I was going to die as I am claustrophobic.”
“Pulled a muscle in my arm but did provide entertainment to all,” she said.

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‘Preity is a good friend, no more’

Preity Zinta is looking forward to a new innings in Bollywood this year. But while she has not signed any film so far, the actress has been in the news for her alleged romance with director Prem Soni. The two have even been spotted at a number of events together recently.
Preity had done a special song for Prem’s debut directorial venture Main Aur Mrs Khanna. Then they were seen together at Salman Khan’s Being Human Fashion show as well as the Stardust awards ceremony.

Preity has recently said she is not seeing anyone. “I will let everybody know when I am in a relationship,” she said.
Prem, on the other hand, is miffed with the rumours. “I hope they don’t call us an item. Preity is a good friend. There is nothing beyond that,” he says.
The filmmaker would rather concentrate on his next venture Paris. “The scripting work is complete and I am starting work next month,” Prem reveals.
When asked about the cast of the film, he smiles and says, “It’s going to be a surprise.” So will Preity be a part of the film? “I am definitely going to work with Preity… for sure, she is a talented actress. But as of now, I cannot comment. I’ll make an announcement soon,” he says.

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Shetty, Zinta ‘threatened into snub’

Bollywood stars Shilpa Shetty and Preity Zinta have added a new twist to the IPL affair by claiming that they were threatened into snubbing Pakistani cricketers at the auction.

According to a report by an Australian publication ‘The Age’, Shetty told India’s ‘Mid-Day’ that threats were made against her team and any subsequent Pakistan cricketer picked by her franchise.

“You must look at it pragmatically and see that we have had these people who are constantly threatening,” Rajasthan co-owner Shetty told Indian publication Mid-Day. “It’s not something we hold against the Pakistani players.

“We completely understand the situation but as franchise owners are we willing to take that risk? If something happens to the Pakistani players, the onus lies on us and who is going to take responsibility for a situation like that?

“When we said ‘availability’, we wanted complete assurance that those players would be available in the country and that we were going to be able to provide security for them,” she added.

Preity Zinta turns chat show host

Other publications
January 22th, 2010 (Hindustan Times) – Now Preity’s tweeting too
January 22th, 2010 (Hindustan Times) – Powerplay