Zeenat Aman says Bollywood reduced her to 'gayegi, nachegi, bheegegi'
Actor Zeenat Aman said in an interview that her on-screen sex-symbol image never matched her real personality. She also recalled that filmmakers in the 1970s prioritised her appearance over her creative input.
Veteran actor Zeenat Aman has opened up about the stark contrast between her glamorous on-screen image and her real personality, saying the "sex symbol" tag that defined much of her career never reflected who she truly was. In a recent interview, the actor also recalled how filmmakers of the time were more focused on her appearance than her creative input.
Speaking to Shubra Aiyappa on her YouTube channel, the 74-year-old icon said, "I always found that there was such disparity between what was projected about me and the person that I truly was. The sex-symbol tag stuck with me for a very long time. When people would meet me, they would realise that I was truly nothing like the characters I portrayed."
Looking back at the film industry of the 1970s, Zeenat said film sets were largely male-dominated, with her hairdresser often being the only other woman around. She added that despite playing the lead, she had little influence over how her characters were written or presented, as filmmakers were primarily concerned with her appearance rather than her creative perspective.
“Nobody was interested in me being cerebral. They were only interested in gayegi, nachegi, do dialogue bolegi, bheegegi, barish mein(singing, dancing, saying two dialogues, getting wet in the rain),” she said.
The Royals actor also reflected on her fashion choices, revealing that her exposure to global trends after returning from the US played a key role in shaping her personal style.
She said costume design was often a collaborative process with renowned designers such as Bhanu Athaiya, but added that her own suggestions were usually more understated than what filmmakers had in mind.
Asked if her ideas were ever rejected for being too bold, Zeenat said the opposite was true. "On the contrary, I feel that my contributions were always modest, and the additions that people wanted were not so modest. It happened on several films where they wanted more cleavage, more of the back showing—that came from the production," she added.
Zeenat was last seen in the 2025 Netflix series, The Royals, featuring actors Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar in key roles. She will next be seen in Bun Tikki alongside Abhay Deol and Shabana Azmi.
About Zeenat Aman
Zeenat Aman emerged as one of Hindi cinema's most influential stars in the 1970s, redefining the portrayal of women with characters that embodied confidence, independence and modernity. After winning the Femina Miss India and Miss Asia Pacific International titles in 1970, she made a successful transition to films. Her breakthrough came with Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), followed by acclaimed performances in classics such as Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, Dharam Veer, Don and Satyam Shivam Sundaram, cementing her status as one of the era's biggest stars.