Zeenat Aman gets emotional ahead on Raj Kapoors 100th birth anniversary

Veteran actress Zeenat Aman often uses her social media handle to share unheard or rare stories from her career. Today, the actress took to Instagram to share a career-defining anecdote featuring late actor Raj Kapoor. 

She began the story by writing, “In December we will mark the 100th birth anniversary of the extraordinary Raj Kapoor. I have rehashed the story of how he came to cast me as Rupa in Satyam Shivam Sundaram countless times, but here it is for Instagram. A defining anecdote from my career.”

She continued, “It was around 1976, and we were shooting Vakil Babu. Rajji was playing the titular role, while his younger brother Shashi Kapoor and I were playing leading roles as each other’s love interests. In between takes, while the technicians changed sets and rigged lights, we cast members often found ourselves with time to kill. Now Rajji had a radical approach to his art, and he was brimming with enthusiasm for a film he wanted to make. For days he regaled us with his idea for a story about a man who falls in love with a woman’s voice but can’t quite reconcile himself to her appearance. He spoke with unfettered and rousing passion, but never once even hinted that I could be a part of this film. I was already a star in my own right, and his lack of interest in casting me began to chafe. I knew that my “modern image”, complete with mini skirts and boots, was the culprit. So I determined to take matters into my own hands.”

Zeenat then revealed that she spent some time in her dressing room making herself up in her own interpretation of Rupa. She wrote, “I knew that Rajji spent much of his spare time at ‘The Cottage’ set on the grounds of his sprawling R.K. Studio. It was here that he would hold meetings or host small events, often presiding over these gathering from a pristine mattress placed on the floor. So I made my move. One evening, having wrapped up early from shoot, I spent an extra 30 minutes in my dressing room making myself up in my own interpretation of Rupa. I put on a ghagra choli, braided my hair with a parandi, and then stuck tissue paper onto my face with glue in an effort to scar my visage.”

However, the actress did not finish the entire story. She continued, “When I reached The Cottage I was greeted at the door by John, Rajji’s right-hand man. He looked quizzically at me but followed my request – “Saabji ko kaho ki Rupa ayi hai” To be continued tomorrow…”

Satyam Shivam Sundaram was directed by Raj Kapoor and starred Shashi Kapoor and Zeenat Aman.