Mumbai: Zeenat Aman took to her Instagram handle on Saturday to address the normalisation of obsession and stalking in Bollywood.
Citing examples of her old films like ‘Dostana’ and ‘Teesri Aankh’, the veteran actress said that obsession and stalking have been ‘glorified as romance in Hindi films for decades’.
The actress admitted that she too played a part in promoting obsession and stalking through her films, but never agreed with it.
Sharing a clip from her 1982 film ‘Teesri Aankh’, she wrote, “A few weeks ago, you watched me being 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 added, “I suppose the reason this scene is delightful and that one was infuriating is because of the traditional role reversal. The truth is I can’t endorse Barkha’s approach, just as I couldn’t endorse Inspector Vijay’s!”
Admitting that Bollywood has glorified obsession in many films, the actress said, “Banter and mischief are excellent tools of courtship, but I think our industry sometimes took these to the extreme. Too many of our films glorify obsession and limerence, instead of giving us a portrayal of real, healthy love. Now I recognize 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. 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.”
Supporting the veteran, one user wrote, “Mostly the romance shown in Bollywood movies (barring a few movies) was quite objectionable and extreme.”
Another added, “The most refreshing aspect of your posts is your self-awareness and honesty. Txs for sharing your learnings.”
On the work front, Zeenat returned to acting last year at the age of 74, after a six-year hiatus.
In the Netflix series ‘The Royals’, she played the grandmother of Ishaan Khatter’s character.
The ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ star will next feature in debutant director Faraz Arif Ansari’s ‘Bun Tikki’, which also features Abhay Deol and Shabana Azmi in key roles.
