Like Her Onscreen Persona, Zeenat Aman's Candid Side On Instagram Loved By All

Actress' first post read, Verified Laughing at the places life takes me. Why hello there, Instagram 🌺.

In one of the posts, Zeenat shared that that in the male-dominated industry of the 70s, she was often only woman on set.

She wrote, “In the 70s the film and fashion industry was absolutely male dominated, and I would often be the only woman on a set. Over the course of my career I have been photographed and filmed by many talented men. A woman’s gaze though, is different. This series of pictures was shot by young photographer @tanyyaa.a_ in the comfort of my home. No lights, no makeup artist, no hairdresser, no stylist, no assistants. Just a lovely sunny afternoon together. It’s such a pleasure to see so many young women working on both sides of the lens today. I look forward to discovering more such talent on Instagram.” 

Zeenat shared a photo with her mother and wrote, “If I have lived an extraordinary life it’s because I was brought up by an extraordinary woman. My mother Vardhini Scharwachter was what you’d call a ‘pataka’. Elegant, intelligent, feisty and my pillar of support. She was a practicing Hindu and she epitomised the ideas of tolerance, love and empowerment. Her faith did not stop her from marrying my father Amanullah Khan. Later, after they had separated, she fell in love with and married a wonderful German man, whom I called Uncle Heinz. She taught me to stand on my own two feet and to live life on my own terms. She was truly the wind beneath my wings. I lost most of my family photographs in the Mumbai floods of 2005, and so the few that i can find are all the more precious to me.”

She also posted a black and white photo of from a look test for the 1978 film Satyam Shivam Sundaram. She wrote at length about the controversy surrounding her look in the film and talked about ‘accusations of obscenity.’ In the picture, she is seen wearing a blouse, and sitting down with a smiling face.

She wrote in the caption, This picture was taken by photographer J P Singhal during a look test for Satyam Shivam Sundaram around 1977. We shot the series at RK Studios, and my costumes were designed by Oscar-winner Bhanu Athaiya. Anyone acquainted with the history of Bollywood will know that there was much controversy and brouhaha about my character Rupa in Satyam Shivam Sundaram. I was always quite amused by the accusations of obscenity as I did not and do not find anything obscene about the human body. I am a director’s actor and these looks were part of my job. Rupa’s sensuality was not the crux of the plot, but a part of it. As it is, the set is not even remotely a sensual space. Every move is choreographed, rehearsed and performed in front of dozens of crew members.

The actress also posted an old advertisement of a tea brand featuring her. She wrote, “Before beauty pageants and cinema and becoming ‘the’ Zeenat Aman, I was just a determined school girl who happened to have a photogenic face. The Taj Mahal tea advertisement was shot on site in Agra. I must have been all of 16 years old, and was very earnest about my new job. The photographer, Obi, was equally dedicated and we shot at different locations around the Taj in a quest for the perfect image. The earrings I’m wearing in this photo were my own, and I still have them with me to this day. It really was a wonderful experience, though I think Zakir Hussain @zakirhq9 ultimately outdid me in the advertising department with the genius “wah Taj” campaign that was launched many years later. I believe a copy of this ad now hangs at the Taj Mahal Tea House in Bandra.”

The actress also spoke about speculations about her return to the silver screen. Sharing this picture she wrote, “There’s been some speculation that my presence here is the precursor to my return to the silver screen. I am a notoriously private person, and I suppose this sudden sharing has set tongues wagging. The truth is that I have been in the public eye since I was 16-years-old, and have experienced the perils of being misquoted, taken out of context, censored, and gossiped about. Now as a septuagenarian I am enjoying the opportunity to reflect on my life and career in my own words. That too without any pressures from managers or studios or brands. I am not, per se, planning a return to the silver screen, but nor am I closing that door. Creativity does not retire, and I would love to sink my teeth into a nuanced and impactful character. I’m of course quite aware that such roles for older women are few and far apart. Some days ago I read about the Annenberg Foundation study that analysed 1,000 Hollywood films released between 2007 and 2017. They found that less than 25% of the women on screen were over the age of 40. The numbers for the Indian film industry are unlikely to be much better. So, in short, I nurture optimism not expectations. In the meanwhile, my sons are helping me understand online lingo. I just learnt what a “thirst trap” is!”

This photo is from an airfield in Zurich in 197 during the filming of Zeenat’s film Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka.

After crossing 80k followers, the actress thanked her followers. She wrote, We are over 81,000 strong now on this page, and I am so touched by all of your comments, shares, messages and love. I am also just gobsmacked by the sheer geographic diversity of my well-wishers. It is physically impossible for me to respond to each person who writes in, but I do see and appreciate your words. Please accept a warm thank you from me. Over the past week, my boys and I have been discussing the purpose of my presence here. As well as how to use Instagram as more than just a platform for my memories, work and vanity. So I think, once in a while, I will take to Instagram to spotlight causes, issues or organisations that I feel hold meaning for society as a whole. (All Images: Instagram)