My character in `Heroes` reminded me of my mother: Preity

Mumbai, Nov 08: Preity Zinta may now be garnering rave reviews for her role in "Heroes", but she says that a lot of people discouraged her from doing the film. She, however, held her ground as she identified with the role as it reminded her of her mother Neelu Zinta.

Once Preity signed on the film, she worked for days on her character, language and body language with her director Karnik. Says Preity: "The minute I read the script I knew I wanted to do it. You`ve no idea how many people discouraged me from doing Heroes. `Arrey, why do you want to play the mother of a growing child? Tujhko log buddhi kahenge`." "But I was adamant. I fell in love with my character. She reminded me of my mother. So many people have told me I look like her, specially in my shaadi ka joda (wedding clothes)." In "Heroes", Preity plays a rustic Punjabi woman thrown into a crisis. "It was easy for me to identify with the Punjabi woman in `Heroes` whose husband has died in the war. I come from an army background and I know what it is like to lose someone on the battlefront." Preity unabashedly modelled the war widow`s role in "Heroes" on her own mother. "I always thought I looked like my father. But as I grow older I think I`ve begun to resemble my mom. The other Punjabi woman I play in `Heaven On Earth` was much harder to play. I had no reference points except my director who held my hand as I suffered with my character for all the physical abuse she has to face." IANS