It seems the Zinta factor in filmdom isn't going to wane. Fresh on the heels of her success in Yash Chopra's Veer-Zaara , Preity Zinta has been signed to play the lead in yet another Yashraj Production.

To be directed by a newcomer Siddhanth the Yashraj film will feature Preity opposite her favourite co-star Saif Ali Khan.

Preity who has just returned and shaken from the aborted Colombo concert, is all praise for her new assignment. "The minute I heard the director narrate the script I knew I wanted to do it. I've been listening to so many scripts lately.

But I hadn't signed anything after Veer-Zara. This Yashraj film will take me beyond what I've already done. That's the only reason for me to take on a new assignment. It has to take me beyond where I've already been."

That's exactly what Karan Johar's next promises to do. Johar's next will again feature Preity with Shah Rukh Khan. "These are the only two projects I've on hand. And they'll keep me busy for the most of next year," says Preity while shooting a new ad for a scooty.

She gets all shaken up as she recalls what happened in Colombo this weekend. "I was five metres away from sure death. It was the most nightmarish scene I've ever witnessed in my life.

Just minutes before Priyanka Chopra and Celina Jaitley came into my makeup place to change. Suddenly I heard an explosion. I couldn't make out what it was.

So I stepped out only to see a man flying straight into the air. I still couldn't understand what was going on.

When people started running helter-skelter I knew something was awfully wrong. I suddenly felt these hands tugging me urgently to leave the place. I shrugged them away saying I can walk on my own. But my legs shook like jelly as I climbed down the ancient iron stairs.

At the bottom a woman stood bleeding. Her hand had been blown off her arm. She was begging for help. I get nightmares every night. I don't think I'll ever be able to put it out of my mind."

Preity stops to take a deep breath. "Now more than ever I know I should enjoy every second of my life. Kya pataa...kal ho na ho."