ZEENAT: THE WAGE GAP HAS LESSENED
Zeenat Aman talks about female actors getting paid well now, popularity of yesteryear dance numbers, and more
Actor Zeenat Aman, who turned 66 recently, will forever remain the epitome of boldness and beauty. One of the top female actors of her time, she doesn’t find any difference between the female actors of her generation and today.
She says, “Today’s generation is very talented, which we were too. But you can only make a name for yourself if you are both hardworking and talented. Also, I am happy seeing the way the wage gap has lessened over the years. Our remuneration was comparatively low. The girls [in our time] put in a lot of hard work, they worked hard and danced well. A lot of people still go back to see some films because of their songs. It’s about time girls started getting their due.”
Zeenat had begun her Bollywood journey in 1971, and went on to do roles in timeless classics such as Hare Rama Hare Krishna(1971), Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973), Lawaaris (1981), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978) and Don (1978).
When asked if she has any particular favourites from the current crop of actors, she says, “It isn’t about anyone being your favourite. It’s about the kind of performance, which should be nice, and you should like it when you see it. Also, (lately) I haven’t watched many films to make a statement about the industry.”
Is she still in touch with her contemporaries? “Whenever me all meet, it’s like there was never a time-lapse, and we pick up from where we left off. Everyone’s busy with their lives!”, says Zeenat.
A conversation with her would be incomplete without asking why she hasn’t written a biography, when so many of her contemporaries such as Rekha and Hema Malini have penned one. She quips, “I haven’t been approached for it yet, but I am thinking about it.”