Zeenat Aman—An inspiration as always

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Many years ago, she was the ultimate inspiration—for actresses to shed the traditional heroine image of Hindi cinema and pave the route for a 1970s woman who was unafraid to show her physical appeal, wear Western clothes and shed the hitherto-normal do’s of a film heroine.

All of half a century ago (!), Zeenat Aman, Femina Miss India and Miss Asia Pacific International winner in 1970, was the va-va-voom lass. She became Hindi cinema’s first-ever sex symbol among heroines, and continued her reign until the mid-1980s. Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Yaadon Ki Baraat, Manoranjan, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan and many others underscored her hep attitude. Parveen Babi and Kimi Katkar were among those who followed her path.

As she crosses 71, Zeenat Aman has again proved to be an inspiration. She has been on Instagram for a while now and has dropped a pearl of wisdom there: Her 50^th post saw her donning a white top with a green blazer, setting off her shiny silver hair.

“I didn’t intend for my grey hair to be a statement, but a statement it has become,” she writes. “Yesterday, I read a tweet by someone who said they know at least three people who have been inspired to stop coloring their hair since I made my Insta debut! I thought this was a wonderful compliment. If embracing my natural hair is encouraging others to do the same, then I’m all the happier for it.”

Yes, Zeenat remains the trendsetter in many ways even today.