Preity Zinta was born on January 31, 1975, in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. She grew up in a military family, as her father Durganand Zinta served in the Indian Army. After completing her schooling in Shimla, she attended St. Bede's College, where she studied English. She later pursued postgraduate studies in criminal psychology.
Zinta entered the entertainment industry through modelling and appeared in commercials before making her Bollywood debut in Dil Se.. in 1998. Her performance was followed by Soldier in the same year, establishing her as a promising newcomer. She subsequently delivered acclaimed performances in films including Kya Kehna, Dil Chahta Hai, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Veer-Zaara and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.
Beyond acting, Zinta became an entrepreneur and co-owner of the Indian Premier League franchise Punjab Kings. She married Gene Goodenough in 2016, and the couple became parents to twins, Jai and Gia, in 2021 through surrogacy.
In 2026, Zinta returned to a major Hindi-film role with Batwara 1947, marking her comeback after a prolonged break from leading roles.