Actor. Mother. Maverick.
When Zeenat Aman made her Instagram debut earlier this month, she described herself as such. Zeenat Aman is best known for captivating Indians in the 1970s with her avant-garde style and unconventional Bollywood roles.
The 71-year-old has only shared content on her account a dozen or so times, mostly selfies with reflections on aging, her eventful career, and her pet dog Lily. Nevertheless, her presence has captured people's interest and imagination.
She was photographed by a young female photographer in the "comfort of [her] home" for her first couple of posts. Aman wrote in her caption about how prevalent the male gaze was in movies and fashion during the 1970s while sitting on a stool next to a spot of sunlight and donning cozy linen overalls.
"Many talented men have photographed and filmed me throughout my career. However, a woman's gaze is distinctive. No assistants, no lighting, no stylist, no hairdresser, no makeup artist. Simple, sunny afternoon spent together, she wrote.
Since then, the post has been shared thousands of times on social media, garnering praise for Aman's ability to start a meaningful conversation in the most straightforward of ways.
The actor who delivered some of the most memorable performances of his career four decades ago has managed to instantly connect with a much younger audience, which is what makes her Instagram debut so remarkable. Even millennials, who typically prefer Reels, hyperbole, and memes, say they appreciate her profound, reflective captions.
The metaverse can be a serene, graceful space, if you want it to be, according to one user. We learned how from Zeenat Aman. ".
Aman has certainly experienced both positive and negative fame and attention.
When she began her career in Bollywood in 1971 with a small role in the movie Hulchul, she had already achieved success as a model.
With her role as a naive, young flower child who is a drug addict in the popular movie Hare Rama Hare Krishna that same year, she shot to astronomical fame.
Aman, and the movie, revolutionized women's fashion in the film industry, from dancing in scanty tie-dye dresses with hippies to blowing smoke rings in crowded, dingy rooms. Aman would continue to set trends in the upcoming years by attempting to play roles that were decades in advance.
Her unconventional beauty, daring wardrobe choices, and outspoken personality made her stand out too much to be considered a typical Bollywood heroine. The public, however, adored her.
She had a strong sense of self. It is very simple to become trapped by labels in the world of mainstream Hindi cinema. The BBC quoted her as saying, "Mind you, women have a very set thing to do - sing songs, look pretty.
"Even I gradually assimilated into the mainstream, but in the latter half of my career, I worked on films with diverse roles. ".
She did, really. From Sheetal in Roti Kapda aur Makaan (1974), who picks a stylish, wealthy man over her jobless boyfriend, to Bharti, a rape victim seeking justice in Insaf Ka Tarasu (1980), Aman consistently pushed the boundaries of cinema and encouraged many women to do the same in their own lives.
Her most contentious performance came in 1978's Satyam Shivam Sundaram, which caused a stir due to the scanty attire worn by Aman's character Roopa and an intimate scene between her and Shashi Kapoor.
As she shared a photo of herself from a camera test for the movie, Aman brought up the controversy again in one of her Instagram posts.
"I have always found the accusations of obscenity to be quite amusing because I have never found the human body to be in any way obscene and never will. The plot's central conflict was not Rupa's sensuality, but it was a component of it, she wrote.
Although Aman's "Western image" was hotly contested throughout her career, the actor never lost her sense of self. She exuded charisma on screen and carried herself confidently throughout her life, despite going through difficult personal circumstances.
Aman is no longer the smoldering diva from her prime, despite the passage of time. Her propensity to strike up conversations, however, has not changed. .
The actor is endearing and unflappable as she looks back on her youth and fame on Instagram, not with remorse but rather from the perspective of maturity.
People were moved by her comments about not wanting to dye her gray hair. "Although I was strongly advised against it, I initially struggled to stop coloring my hair. The realization that I really don't want to support our society's idolization of youth only came to me after I thought about my own hesitations, she wrote.
Aman asserts in post after post that an older woman doesn't lose her beauty or her agency. Women are typically given sympathy as we age, she writes, while men are typically left with gravitas.
She continues, "I love being young.". Nevertheless, growing older is also a good thing.
Women have told the BBC that Aman's posts have made them think about their own strength and agency.
"Aman is sparking a more honest assessment of what it means to be a woman at a time when technology and Instagram filters are rewriting our bodies and faces," says one fan. "With her gorgeous silver bob and soft wrinkles.".
Another person adds, "I just adore how unpretentious and genuine she is.
There are also some lighter reflections. The actor also shares a few amusing personal anecdotes; for example, she recently revealed that her sons taught her the definition of the word "thirst-trap.". And her innocence was adored by both young and old admirers.
Zeenat Aman joining Instagram, as one Twitter user put it, is one of the best things to happen on the internet recently.
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