Veteran actor Zeenat Aman has once again sparked conversation around gender politics and romance in Hindi cinema after sharing a reflective post revisiting scenes from her earlier films Dostana (1980) and Teesri Aankh (1982). Through a detailed note, Aman questioned how Bollywood has historically portrayed love, obsession and courtship — and acknowledged her own role within that cinematic legacy.
Zeenat Aman criticises Bollywood for glorifying “obsession and limerence,” acknowledges her role in shaping problematic romance tropes
In her latest post, Aman described rewatching her old films as “a delightfully unpredictable process,” noting how different scenes evoke different emotions and reflections over time. “Rewatching scenes from my old movies is a delightfully unpredictable process. I just never know which memory will snag, unfurl and invite contemplation,” she wrote.
Referring to a previously shared clip from Dostana, Aman recalled how her character Sheetal was subjected to eve-teasing and moral judgement, followed by what she described as a patronising lecture from Amitabh Bachchan’s Inspector Vijay. She then contrasted it with a scene from Teesri Aankh, where her character Barkha aggressively pursues Dharmendra’s Ashok. “A few weeks ago you watched me be eve-teased and slut shamed by Amitji’s character in a clip from Dostana, this week you can watch me be the aggressor to Dharmji’s character in Teesri Ankh!” she wrote.
While acknowledging the gender reversal in Teesri Aankh, Aman questioned whether such shifts truly represented progress for female characters in Hindi cinema. “Did things really change quite that radically for Hindi cinema heroines in the two short years that passed between the two films? It’s doubtful, but I do think this scene offers a nice gender flip on the usual trope,” she observed.
Aman went on to explain why one scene felt “delightful” while the other was “infuriating,” attributing the difference to traditional power dynamics rather than moral correctness. “The truth is I can’t endorse Barkha’s approach, just as I couldn’t endorse Inspector Vijay’s! Banter and mischief are excellent tools of courtship, but I think our industry sometimes took these to the extreme,” she wrote.
At the heart of her critique was Bollywood’s long-standing tendency to equate persistence and obsession with romance.
“Too many of our films glorify obsession and limerence, instead of giving us a portrayal of real, healthy love,” Aman stated, adding that she now recognises her own contribution to propagating these ideas on screen. “Now I recognise that I have played a part in propagating the ludicrous idea of romance that Bollywood has exported to Indians everywhere. So this is my two-bit effort to address it.”
She concluded her post with a firm message on relationships and boundaries: “Let me be clear, when it comes to relationships, consent is non-negotiable and respect has to flow both ways. Believe me, I learnt this the hard way.”
This reflection builds on a similar post Aman shared on December 4, 2025, when she revisited a scene from Dostana alongside clips from The Great Gambler and Don. In that earlier note, she spoke about how audience perceptions have evolved over decades, particularly in their response to eve-teasing and moral policing in cinema.
“Oh, I am glad you’re annoyed. That’s what’s changed,” she had written, noting that what was once seen as acceptable or even gentlemanly behaviour is now widely criticised.
Together, the two posts underline Aman’s ongoing engagement with her filmography through a contemporary lens, offering commentary on changing social codes, gender expectations and cinematic responsibility — while inviting audiences to reflect, disagree and participate in the conversation.
“Your comments on this scene are keenly awaited,” she wrote, signing off with fond memories of her co-star Dharmendra.
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