Preity Zinta to get honorary degree by UK university

Zinta, who has the unique distinction of addressing the Oxford Union yesterday, will receive the doctorate from the University of East London at a function tomorrow.

Later in the evening, the star will attend the Loomba Foundation Diwali dinner at the Guild Hall where the deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Lord Navnit Dholakia, deputy leader of the Lib Dem at the House of Lords will also be present.

A versatile actress, Zinta has acted in over 30 films in Bollywood as well as in Telugu, Punjabi and English language films.

The 35-year-old star made her acting debut with Mani Ratnam's 'Dil Se' in 1998 followed by a role in 'Soldier' the same year.  These performances earned her a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award, and she was later recognised for her role as a teenage single mother in 'Kya Kehna' (2000).

Zinta received her first Filmfare Best Actress Award in 2003 for her performance in the drama 'Kal Ho Naa Ho'.  She went on to play the lead female role in two consecutive annual top-grossing films in India: the science fiction film 'Koi... Mil Gaya' and cross border romance 'Veer-Zaara', which earned her critical acclaim.

Her first international film role was in the Canadian film 'Heaven on Earth', for which she was awarded the Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.