When Bollywood legend Zeenat Aman shares a note, you drop everything and read it. And when it is about matters of the heart, you don't skip a word. On the occasion of Valentine's Day, Zeenat Man has shared a post about love. The post, which is a collaboration with an online dating application, begins with the actress wondering if she is, in fact, the right person to be writing about love. After mulling over this thought briefly, Zeenat Aman, wise as always, shared: “And I'll rationalise it with a simple thought - failure is a far better teacher than success. So, I'm probably well-placed to share a learning or two.”
So, here are some notes on love from Zeenat Aman herself: “Those first few heady months of a relationship will strip you of your reason. That's usually the ploy of infatuation and lust, don't mistake it for love!
If your family opposes your relationship because of matters of caste, class, religion, gender or any other such divisive construct - challenge them! But if they dislike your partner for deeper reasons, hear them out. I'm not saying they're necessarily right… I'm saying that often our loved ones can grant us a missing perspective. There's certainly been an occasion or two where I wish I'd listened to my amma!
In the long run - great sex, a stacked bank account and sweet talk are meaningless if you can't enjoy the mundane together. Which is not to say that sex and finances are unimportant. Compatibility on those fronts are essential too!
Preserve your sense of self against all odds. If your partner wants to entirely change you, they don't love you. They love control. On that note, make sure you're financially independent of them. A relationship should be a choice, not a circumstance!
All relationships are work. It's easy to become the worst version of yourself once you grow too comfortable in your partnership. So be vigilant! Your partner does not owe you love. More importantly, you owe it to yourself and the relationship to evolve year on year!”
Zeenat Aman added that she has been dating herself these days. “I do for me all the things that a loving, long-term partner would, but without the irritation of having to deal with another human's flatulence and snores,” she explained.
“Which brings me to my final realisation - in love, there are no givens! And if you can't find a person to love you as you deserve, then it should be enough to love yourself. Warmly, ZA.” Did someone say “iconic”, yet?
The lovely caption is attached to a bunch of images – new and old – of Zeenat Aman being her true, authentic, useful self.
Actress-author Maria Goretti said, “Happy happy you wise Galantine,” with heart emojis. Shilpa Shetty said, “Soooo beautifully said @thezeenataman.” Actress Zareen Khan said, “Love the caption … esp. resonating with the last 3 paragraphs. Lots of love to you, Zeenat Ma'am.” Choreography Terence Lewis spoke for all of us when he said, “Podcast n pocket book would be most welcome!”
Ashmit Patel said, “Bang on Zeenie mam. Love/relationships are a choice and they take a daily commitment and a lifetime of work.” Sophie Choudry said: “Everyone needs to see this!! So beautifully written.”
Read the complete note here:
Recently, Zeenat Aman celebrated one year on Instagram and dedicated a note to her fans. An excerpt from her post addressing her fans reads: “So, here's a thought from this septuagenarian – transformations demand that we embrace the unknown. And there's really no age limit to when you can transform your life. Happy one year anniversary to you and I. Please eat a slice of cake on my behalf today…”
On the work front, Zeenat Aman will be seen Bun Tikki.