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Veteran actor Zeenat Aman has spoken strongly against the culture of eve-teasing and sl*t shaming that long existed in Hindi cinema. Reflecting on her work in classics like ‘ Dostana ’ and ‘ Teesri Aankh ’, the 74-year-old highlighted how women were often framed through problematic narrative lenses, shaping audience ideas of romance.

Sharing her thoughts on Instagram, Zeenat wrote, “Rewatching scenes from my old movies is a delightfully unpredictable process.” She recalled being “eve-teased and slut shamed” by Amitabh Bachchan ’s character in ‘Dostana’, while noting the contrast in ‘Teesri Aankh’, where her character Barkha becomes the aggressor opposite Dharmendra .

A rare gender flip, but still problematicQuestioning whether cinema truly evolved in the short gap between the two films, she remarked, “It’s doubtful,” adding that while the role reversal was interesting, it wasn’t necessarily progressive. “Dharmji’s Ashok is naive and imposed upon, while my Barkha is roguish and completely inappropriate,” she explained, underlining how discomfort exists regardless of gender.

Zeenat admitted that Bollywood often crossed the line while portraying romance. “Too many of our films glorify obsession and limerence,” she said, instead of showing emotionally healthy relationships. Acknowledging her own contribution to these tropes, she added that consent and mutual respect must always be central.

Making her stance clear, she wrote, “When it comes to relationships, consent is non-negotiable and respect has to flow both ways.” Calling her reflection a small attempt to course-correct, Zeenat shared that these lessons came to her through lived experience.

Concluding her post on a warm note, she said she was eager to hear audience responses and fondly recalled working with Dharmendra. Zeenat Aman was last seen in the Netflix series ‘The Royals’, continuing to spark conversations both on and off screen.

Zeenat Aman's work frontZeenat Aman was most recently seen in the Netflix series ‘The Royals’, marking her return to the screen in a contemporary project. Her appearance was widely appreciated, with viewers praising her commanding presence and the effortless grace she continues to bring to her performances.