This is difficult time for me, request media to respect privacy: Zinta

She added 'My intention is not to harm any one but only to protect myself'

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, who has accused her former boyfriend and businessman Ness Wadia of molestation and abuse, today said it was a "very difficult" time for her and requested the media to respect her privacy.

Zinta, 39, who filed a police complaint on Thursday night, said in a statement today that her intention is not to harm any one but only to "protect myself".

"This is a very difficult time for me and I would like to request the media to please respect my privacy regarding this matter. My intention is not to harm any one but only to protect myself," she said here.

An FIR was lodged after the actress, who jointly owns Kings XI Punjab IPL cricket team with Wadia, filed a complaint at Marine Drive Police station against him alleging that he molested, abused and threatened her inside Wankhede stadium in south Mumbai on May 30.

Wadia said he was shocked by the complaint and termed the allegations as false and baseless.

A versatile actor, Zinta has acted in over 30 films in Hindi, Telugu, Punjabi and English.

Starting her career with Mani Ratnam's Dil Se in 1998, Preity has taken up a wide array of roles be it of a progressive thinking girl of Kya Kehna, a street-walker in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke or a journalist in Lakshya.

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: the science fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya and cross border romance Veer-Zaara, which earned her critical acclaim.

In May 2013, she tried to make a comeback after three years with her long delayed 'Ishkq in Paris' but it failed at the box office.

Before that, she was seen in a cameo in the Salman Khan starrer Main Aur Mrs Khanna in 2009.