Zeenat Aman

Born: 19 November, 1951

Biography: Zeenat has been the heartthrob of her fans for many years. Born to a Hindu mother and a Muslim father, at first Zeenat wanted to pursue a career in journalism. An alumnus of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, she continued her education in Los Angeles. But, later she decided to pursue modeling and then acting. She was introduced to the industry by Dev Anand. Her father Amanullah Khan was the script writer for films like Muhal-e-Azam and Pakeezah.

Before entering into films, Zeenat also featured in beauty contests. She finished as the second runner-up in the Miss India Contest and was crowned as Miss India Pacific in 1970. She was also a part of ad campaigns like “Ponds - 7 Days to Better Complexion” and so on. In 1971, she made her debut into films with the film Hare Rama Hare Krishna, playing the role of a westernized character Janice / Jasbeer. This film acted as a strong launch pad and she won wide appreciation. She won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her role in this film. She then went on to do a number of successful films, opposite big stars. Some of these films include Roti, Kapda Aur Makaan, Yaadon Ki Baraat, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Don, Insaaf Ka Taraazu, Qurbaani, et al.

Zeenat’s roles always revolved around characters representing the new and free Indian woman. Her characters always carried an element of revolution. But this came to be well accepted and even appreciated by the Indian audiences who were more open in thoughts and ideas by that time. Her acting performances were immensely captivating and her beauty was indescribable. She entertained her audiences thoroughly and will always be remembered for her wonderful performances.

AKA & Alternative Spellings: Zinat Aman, jeenat Aman