Zeenat Aman

Zeenat Aman
Beauty pageant titleholder

Zeenat Aman at IIFA awards 2012
Born (1951-11-19) 19 November 1951
Bombay, Bombay State, India
(now Mumbai, Maharashtra) American National
Alma mater University of Southern California,
Los Angeles
Occupation Actress, Model
Years active 1971–1989, 2003–present
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Title(s) Femina Miss India Asia Pacific 1970
Miss Asia Pacific 1970
Major
competition(s)		 Femina Miss India 1970
(Femina Miss India Asia Pacific 1970)
(Miss Photogenic)
Miss Asia Pacific 1973
(Winner)
(Miss Photogenic)
Spouse Mazhar Khan (1985–1998, his death)
Children Zahaan Khan
Azaan Khan

Zeenat Aman (born November 19, 1951 in Bombay) is an Indian actress, model and beauty queen best known for her work in Hindi films during the 1970s and 80's. She won the Miss Asia Pacific 1970 title. She is the first South Asian woman to win the title. Upon making her debut in Bollywood, Zeenat Aman, along with Parveen Babi, was credited with making a lasting impact on the image of its leading actresses by introducing the modern look to Hindi cinema. Throughout her career she has been considered a sex symbol.[1][2][3]

Early life

Zeenat Aman was born in Mumbai (then called Bombay) in 1951 to Amanullah Khan.[4] Her father, Amanullah Khan, was related to the Bhopal State ruling family. He was a script writer who made the script for such movies as Mughal-e-Azam and Pakeezah. Amanullah Khan often wrote under the nom de plume 'Aman' which she later adopted as her second name on screen. He died when Aman was 13. Her mother remarried a German man called Heinz (and was constantly referred to as Mrs. Heinz in all subsequent articles published in film magazines). Aman's mother obtained a German citizenship and took her to Germany where Zeenat Aman stayed temporarily. She returned to India when she turned 18. She is the cousin of actor Raza Murad and niece of actor Murad.

Aman did her schooling in Panchgani and went to University of Southern California in Los Angeles for further studies on student aid but she could not complete her graduation. Upon her return to India, she first took up a job as a journalist for Femina and then later on moved on to modeling. One of the first few brands that she modeled for was Taj Mahal Tea in 1966. She was the second runner up in the Miss India Contest and went on to win the Miss Asia Pacific in 1970.

Professional career

After having studied in Los Angeles, winning the Miss Asia Pacific 1970 contest and a successful modeling career, Aman's film career began with a small role in O.P. Ralhan's Hulchul in 1971. A second role in Hungama (1971), starring singer Kishore Kumar where both films were not successful and she was ready to pack her bags to leave India and was ready to leave to Malta with her mother and step father.

Dev Anand offered Zaheeda (his second heroine in Prem Pujari) the role of his sister in Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971). Not realizing the importance of this secondary role, Zaheeda wanted the lead female part (eventually played by Mumtaz) and she opted out. Zeenat Aman was chosen as a last-minute replacement.[2]

In Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Zeenat Aman, aided by R. D. Burman song Dum Maro Dum (Take Another Take), won over the hearts of audience as Janice. She earned a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award[5] and BFJA Award for Best Actress.[6] Throughout the 1970s, the Dev-Zeenat pairing was seen in half a dozen films: Heera Panna (1973), Ishq Ishq Ishq (1974), Prem Shastra (1974), Warrant (1975), Darling Darling (1977) and Kalabaaz (1977). Of these, Warrant, was the biggest box-office success.

Her hip looks in Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) as the girl carrying a guitar, singing Churaliya hai tumne jo dil ko (in Asha Bhosle's voice) has won her more popularity and the hearts of millions of fans.[2]

She appeared on every Hindi film magazine's cover during the 1970s. In December 1974, Cine Blitz magazine was launched with Zeenat Aman on its cover,[7] a testimony to her popularity at the time. However, she went on as the favourite cover girl of the popular magazine 'Stardust'.

The 1970s

Zeenat Aman, in her career and her success with Navketan Films and Dev Anand, found success with other banners such as B.R. Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Manmohan Desai, Feroz Khan, Nasir Hussain, Manoj Kumar, Prakash Mehra, Raj Khosla and Shakti Samanta.

In 1978, she starred in Raj Kapoor's massively publicised Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978), however, the film was heavily criticized. The subject ironically dealt with the notion of the soul being more attractive than the body but Kapoor chose to showcase Aman's sex-appeal. The actress was highly criticized for her exposure but somehow at later stage, the film had a great deal to do with Aman's fame and the movie itself was distinguished as a work of art. She also earned a Filmfare nomination as Best Actress for this film.[2]

Aman's entry into Hollywood also backfired when Krishna Shah's Shalimar (1978), co-starring Dharmendra and international names like Rex Harrison, John Saxon and Sylvia Miles, proved to be a failure in the United States and in India.[2] Aman possessed a convent schoolgirl accent and a penchant for revealing dresses. She matched Gina Lollobrigida in the battle of oomph at Shalimar's launch. 1978 could have been a disaster year for her, because of the diminishing box office returns of Shalimar and discouraging critics riviews of Satyam Shivam Sundaram but Aman had other successful commercial films during that year such as Heeralal Pannalal and Chor Ke Ghar Chor, yet it was Don that came to the rescue with its huge success. Ironically, her reasons for accepting the role in Don were altruistic and she didn't even take any remuneration for it because she wanted to help the producer Nariman Irani who died midway filming.[8] Her role of a Westernized revenge-seeking action heroine contributed to the film's huge success and her fans reconnected with her again. Westernized heroines like Parveen Babi and Tina Munim now followed in her footsteps by the late 1970s. Aman continued to act in hits like Dharam Veer, Chhaila Babu and The Great Gambler.

The 1980s

By the beginning of the 1980s, multi-starrer films became a trend and Zeenat Aman was increasingly asked to just provide sex appeal in hero-oriented films, despite success in so many films. In contrast to this trend was her performance as a rape victim seeking justice in B. R. Chopra's Insaaf Ka Tarazu (1980) for which she received a Filmfare Best Actress nomination. This film was followed by success in the love triangle Qurbani (1980 film), Alibaba Aur 40 Chor, Dostana (1980) and Lawaaris (1981).[2]

Aman's popularity in Russia was so great after Alibaba Aur 40 Chor that she felt pressured into doing a supporting role in Sohni Mahiwal. The film was moderately successful but no credit went to Aman.

Her last role as the female lead was in the movie Gawahi, a court room drama in 1989.

The 1990s and 2000s

Aman came back to the silver screen after a decade doing a cameo role in the film Bhopal Express (1999).

The 2000s

Aman went on to do roles in Boom (2003), Jaana... Let's Fall in Love (2006), Chaurahen (2007), Ugly Aur Pagli (2008), Geeta in Paradise (2009),Dunno Y... Na Jaane Kyon (2010) and "Strings of Passion" (2012).

In 2004, she appeared as Mrs. Robinson in the play The Graduate staged at St Andrew's auditorium in Mumbai. Zeenat Aman had a TV show called In Conversation with Zeenat made by B4U TV and also made an appearance along with Hema Malini in the popular show Koffee with Karan hosted by Karan Johar.

She received a Lifetime Achievement Award during the Zee Cine Awards function in 2008 as a recognition of her contribution to Hindi Cinema. She also received An Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema award at IIFA awards 2010 held at Colombo, Sri Lanka. She dedicated this award to her mother.

Image

Zeenat Aman's persona was a contrast to many of the more conservative stars of the era.[2] At a time when heroines were obedient wives and lovers on the screens of Hindi Cinema, Aman was drawn to more unconventional roles—she was cast as the opportunist who deserts her jobless lover for a millionaire (Roti Kapda Aur Makaan), the ambitious girl who considers having an abortion in order to pursue a career (Ajnabee), the happy hooker (Manoranjan), the disenchanted hippie (Hare Rama Hare Krishna), the girl who falls in love with her mother's one-time lover (Prem Shastra) and a woman married to a caustic cripple but involved in an extramarital relationship (Dhund). She managed to balance these roles with acting in more conventional films such as Chori Mera Kaam, Chhaila Babu, Dostana and Lawaaris, which is considered by many to be a landmark in Indian Cinema. Encyclopædia Britannica's "Encyclopedia of Hindi Cinema" wrote, "Zeenat Aman had a definite impact on the characterization of the heroine in Hindi films. With films such as Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Yaadon Ki Baraat, she fashioned the image of the youthful and westernized woman in Hindi cinema."[1]

Zeenat Aman's persona was such that newcomers were and still are compared to her. Parveen Babi was called "The poor man's Zeenat Aman", Sarika was christened "Zeenat Aman 2", Padmini Kolhapure was named "Baby Zeenat", and more recently, Bipasha Basu was referred to as the "new age Zeenat".

Personal life

In 1985, she married Mazhar Khan and had two sons Azaan and Zahaan. Mazhar Khan died in September 1998 of renal failure.

Today, Zeenat Aman lives with her two sons and makes many social appearances and film awards functions.

Awards and recognitions

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1970 The Evil Within
1971 Hungama
Hulchul Neena
Hare Rama Hare Krishna Jasbir Jaiswal/Janice Winner, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
1973 Yaadon Ki Baaraat Sunita
Heera Panna Panna
Dhund Rani Ranjit Singh
1974 Roti Kapada Aur Makaan Sheetal
Prem Shastra Barkha/Suman
Ishq Ishq Ishq Pooja Pahar
Manoranjan Nisha
Ajanabee Reshmi Kumar Saxena
1975 Warrant Rita Verma
Chori Mera Kaam Sharmili
1976 Deewangee Kanchan
Balika Badhu Adult Rajni (uncredited) (voice)
1977 Paapi Rano/Vanita Kapoor/Rani
Kalabaaz Lisa/Radha G. Sapru/Tina
Dharam Veer Rajkumari Pallavi
Darling Darling
Chhaila Babu Rita
Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka Veera Rai
Hum Kisise Kum Naheen Sunita Kewalchand
1978 Shalimar Sheila Enders
Heeralal Pannalal Ruby
Chor Ke Ghar Chor
Satyam Shivam Sundaram Rupa
Don Roma
1979 The Great Gambler Shabnam
1980 Takkar Sapna
Ram Balram Madhu
Bombay 405 Miles Radha
Abdullah Zainab
Alibaba Aur 40 Chor Fatima
Qurbani Sheela
Dostana Sheetal Sahni
Insaaf Ka Tarazu Bharti Saxena
1981 Professor Pyarelal Sonia B. Singh/Asha Rai
Katilon Ke Kaatil Jamila Banu
Krodhi Neera Kumar Sahni
Laawaris Mohini
1982 Samraat Suman/Sandhya Chawla/Gurbachan Singh
Pyaas
Jaanwar Rajkumari
Daulat Geeta
Ashanti Sonia
Gopichand Jasoos Bela/Lacho/Shano Rani
Vakil Babu Kalpana Choudhry/Kalpana Kumar
Teesri Aankh Barkha
1983 Taqdeer Nisha
Pukar Julie
Hum Se Hai Zamana Nisha Thakur
Mahaan Rita
Bandhan Kuchchey Dhaagon Ka Sneh
1984 Yeh Desh Sumati
Sohni Mahiwal Zarina
Pakhandi
Jagir Seema
Meri Adalat
1985 Yaar Kasam
Bhawani Junction Reshma
Ameer Aadmi Gharib Aadmi Kavita
Yaadon Ki Kasam Chandni/Geeta Khanna
1986 Haathon Ki Lakeeren Geeta Mohan
Baat Ban Jaye Nisha Singh
Aurat
1987 Daku Hasina Daku Hasina
1988 Namumkin
1989 Tujhe Nahin
Chhodunga
Gawahi
1999 Bhopal Express Zohrabai
2003 Boom Alice Rodriguez De Fonseca
2005 Moksham Dr Babilona Malayalam film
2006 Jaana:
Let's Fall in Love		 Raju's mother
2007 Sirf Romance: Love by Chance Durga Putri
2008 Ugly Aur Pagli Special Appearance
2010 Dunno Y... Na Jaane Kyon Rebecca
2014 Strings of Passion
2015 Sallu Ki Shaadi Zeenat Playing Character Mother of Sallu
2016 Dil Toh Deewana Hai

References

Further reading

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