'My first love died in a car crash': Preity Zinta reveals how personal loss made Kal Ho Naa Ho shoot emotionally taxing

Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan-starrer Kal Ho Naa Ho was released over 22 years ago, and was a commercial and critical success.

Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan-starrer 'Kal Ho Naa Ho' was released over 22 years ago, and it is still etched in the hearts and minds of fans. The presence of romance, humour, and heartwarming messages, coupled with stellar performances made Kal Ho Naa Ho stand out. To date, there are many scenes from the film that linger in the audience's mind. Among them, the heart-wrenching climax, where Shah Rukh's character Aman dies due to a rare illness, continues to evoke strong emotions.

Preity Zinta and Shah Rukh Khan in a still from Kal Ho Naa Ho.

Preity Zinta on Kal Ho Naa Ho

On Tuesday, Preity walked down memory lane and talked about the emotional weight she carried while filming the movie's climax scene.

During a QnA session on X, a fan wrote to Preity, "@realpreityzinta ma'am every time I watch Kal Ho Naa Ho, I cry like a kid. You absolutely nailed Naina Catherine Kapur. Learnt a lesson as well that is love sometimes means letting go. When you watch Kal Ho Naa Ho after 20 years of shoot, do you cry like us? #pzchat."

In response, Preity opened up about losing her "first love in car crash". "Yes, I cry when I see it, and I cried when we were filming it too! My first love died in a car crash so this film always hit different. Fun Fact - Most scenes all actors cried naturally... and Aman's death scene had everyone crying in front of the camera and behind it too!," she shared.

Preity's great personal loss

Here, Preity referred to the loss of her father, Durganand Zinta, who passed away in a car accident. She was only 13 years old when she lost her father. Her father was an officer in the Indian Army.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Preity is all set to make her comeback in the industry with Rajkumar Santoshi's directorial Lahore 1947. This project marks an important milestone for Preity as she returns to the silver screen after a hiatus. Lahore 1947, produced under Aamir Khan's banner, marks a significant collaboration between Sunny Deol and Aamir Khan's Productions.