Zeenat Aman reflects on sensational tabloid headlines in the past

Bollywood has seen its fair share of iconic actresses over the decades, and Zeenat Aman undeniably stands as one of the most influential figures. Beyond her on-screen appearances, Zeenat Aman has actively embraced the digital age, engaging with fans through her vibrant presence on social media platforms, most notably Instagram.

Recently, Zeenat Aman used her Instagram platform to shed light on a challenging chapter of her life. She shared a series of magazine covers from the late 1970s and early 1980s, featuring sensational headlines that once targeted her. In her post, she recounted the harrowing claims made in these headlines – in 1979, she had supposedly cursed herself, 1982 saw her being unfairly scrutinized.

Zeenat Aman admitted that in her earlier years, she had subscribed to these tabloid magazines, inadvertently subjecting herself to the hurtful gossip and unfounded allegations. She wrote, "If the headlines were to be believed, in 1979 I had cursed myself, in 1982 I was being picked on, in 1984 I was out of sync, in 1985 I was marching towards self destruction, and in 1998 I was shattered!

There was a time that I subscribed to glossies and tabloids, but that passed very quickly. I could not relate at all to the person they presented me as. The headlines would be adulatory one day and vicious the very next. There was little by way of fact checking, and no remorse for errors made. When they got the story right - it was usually a colossal breach of privacy. When they got it wrong - those blatant lies would be taken as the gospel. These “scandals” took their toll. It was its own form of public humiliation, and I remember the anxiety, outrage and grief that came with these."

She further wrote, "At some point my skin toughened, and the realisation dawned that it was impossible for me to challenge the persona that they wanted to create. The one time I confronted an erstwhile editor about a malicious story, she was full of excuses but not a single apology. I made up my mind then not to take it personally. Undignified as it was, their only interest was selling their magazines.

All this is just to say - people will always find reason to talk, and so it’s probably best not to allow their opinion or perception to define your life. You can do that for yourself.🌺"

Zeenat Aman's contribution to Bollywood is indisputable, with a string of memorable films like "Satyam Shivam Sundaram," "Qurbaani," "Dhund," "Don," and "Manoranjan."