Once upon a time, even the poised veteran actress Zeenat Aman found herself intimidated—not by just anyone, but by the superstar Rajesh Khanna. In a recent interview with Film Companion, Aman revealed that in her early days in the industry, she felt a sense of fear in Khanna’s presence. She admitted to memorizing her lines meticulously to avoid any slip-ups in front of him. Together, they delivered numerous hits such as ‘Ajanabee’, ‘Chhailla Babu’, ‘Jaanwar’, and ‘Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka’.
During the interview, Zeenat Aman, alongside acclaimed actress Shabana Azmi, was asked about managing to excel amidst such towering figures.
Reflecting on her past, Zeenat shared, “I remember starting out in the industry when Rajesh Khanna was the phenomenon. I was so intimidated by him that I rehearsed my lines over and over to ensure I wouldn’t falter. But did I let it show? Not at all. I approached him and gave my performance. Afterwards, in my makeup room, I thought, ‘Wow, I just shot a scene with a superstar.’ I think that’s the right attitude to have.”
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The ‘Qurbani’ actress also emphasized her collaborative approach with filmmakers and co-stars when crafting a scene. She particularly praised Shabana Azmi, calling her the queen of performance. “It was a joy to watch her work. She takes what’s given to her and runs with it. Truly delightful.”
In a previous interview with Bollywood Bubble, veteran actress Farida Jalal also reminisced about working with Rajesh Khanna in the blockbuster ‘Aradhana’. Jalal, who played a pivotal role alongside Khanna and Sharmila Tagore, recalled Khanna’s demeanor on set. “He became ‘The Rajesh Khanna’ after ‘Aradhana’. But on set, he was already quite arrogant,” Jalal recounted. She admitted to not treating him with any special reverence, which apparently led to a few clashes between them. Despite this, Jalal acknowledged Khanna’s impressive performance in the film.
Looking ahead, Zeenat Aman and Shabana Azmi are set to collaborate again in their upcoming project alongside Abhay Deol, titled ‘Bun Tikki’, produced by Manish Malhotra.