/> Preity Zinta would have been happy if it wasn't for the blasts. Both her delayed films Kabhi Alvidaa Na Kehna and Jaan-e-Man have been finally wrapped up within a day of each other.

"My kismet is such, I tell you! Both films started in New York. Both got delayed together. Both continued shooting almost together. Both ended with me shooting for a part of a song. My dates did clash. But I sorted them out. Now Alvidaa will come out in August and Jaan-e-Man later."

It's the day after Mumbai rocked to a horrific tune. Preity still can't get over the suddenness of it.

"11/7 will go down as one of the darkest days in Mumbai. I was in court for the second hearing of my case against a tabloid. I had no clue what was happening even when I got out and was caught in the traffic. There was a huge ambulance in front of me.

My phone was jammed. No one called, so I had no idea. It was only when I turned on the TV at home that I realized what had happened. I couldn't sleep the whole night," says the groggy Zinta as she heads for shooting the morning after.

"It's time we did something drastic, like New York after 9/11. The city has lost its rough edges. Earlier you couldn't walk freely in certain parts of NY. The streets are safe now. Crime has dropped. Mumbai shouldn't be an easy target. It's so sad to see the working-class hit so badly.

Visuals of severed limbs will remain with me. We feel so helpless. We seriously need to think of the city's security. Stop the unchecked influx of migrants in the city. Check the slums.

Instead of looking at the root of problems the government shuts down discs and pubs after such a tragedy. How does that help anything? You need to clamp down on the root causes of such happenings. I can't imagine terrorists sitting in clubs after perpetrating their crime. What's the deal here?"

Preity's battle against a tabloid continues. "The second hearing went well. The next hearing is in August...I'm fighting for my right to dignity.

It's the first time I had to look down at my toes in embarrassment (after the Salman tapes were published). Happily female journalists have supported me in this fight. Whenever I leave the industry I should do so with my head held high."

She's just shot a song for KANK. "The film is over. We just finished a song. I danced my head off with Amitji and Abhishek. They're both so tall! I had to really crane my neck and feet to keep with them. This was my first song with the two.

Amitji is outstanding. He wasn't well. His mom was in hospital. His house was flooded. And he was dancing away with me and Abhishek! If this isn't dedication, what is? We're just novices in front of Amitji.

But I wonder what he must have been like when he was younger! I tend to grumble about little things like a broken a.c or a postponed schedule. Amitji never complains. I recently read the book on The Making Of Sholay to get to know Amitji and Jaya Aunty."

She gets sentimental about the KANK wrapup party on 10 July. "I was the first to leave after Amitji. I had to leave early because of my court case the next day. But we had a blast."

About her performance at IIFA.... "They wanted an Arabian Nights performance. I didn't have my own songs. So I had to dance to others' songs. But I got an amazing response."

Preity pauses for a breather. "Now that both my films KANK and Jaan-e-Man are over I can afford to fall sick. I feel some virus coming on....In fact I almost collapsed in court yesterday. When I walked out of court I felt so ill.

And my joy at the completion of my films is clouded by what happened in Mumbai...I'm scared that Mumbai is getting used to such periodical attacks. There should be special time-conserving courts for terrorist cases.

But the wrong people shouldn't be arrested and tried. Our judicial system is fine. I'm just fighting a legal battle myself, so I should know."

Preity is slightly wistful about not being part of the Salaam Namaste team a second time around. "Their film is called Tara Rum Pam Pam. That was meant to be the title of my first film Siddharth Anand has Rani this time. That's okay. I'm doing Shaad's film Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom with Abhishek. Rani was in Shaad's last film."

After the premiere of Alvidaa Preity leaves for London for Jhoom Baraabar. "I'm really looking forward to it. I'm working with my friends here. Abhishek and Bobby are my pals.

Shaad, if you remember had assisted Mani Rathnam during my first film Dil Se. The only new person for me in Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom is Lara Dutta. I hardly know her. But she's sweet. This film will rock."