BOLLYWOOD bombshell Zeenat Aman lit up the big screen with a series of explosive roles that burned a permanent mark on Indian cinema. Perhaps the greatest of these turns occurred in marvellous musical numbers which still remain massively popular today.
To mark the actress celebrating her 66th birthday on November 19, Eastern Eye went back in time to select seven memorable musical turns.
Dum Maro Dum from Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971): The drug-fuelled number signalled the arrival of the actress and helped turn her into an overnight star. The hippy anthem would later be covered many times, including being pictured on Deepika Padukone decades later. Zeenat would win her first major acting award for her stunning performance in the drama.
Chura Liya Hai Tumne Jo Dil Ko from Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973): Zeenat didn’t need big dance moves in her musical numbers to captivate the audiences – and this was a perfect example of that. Her magnetic presence helped turn the song into one of the greatest in Bollywood history and one that remains massively popular over 44 years later.
Satyam Shivam Sundaram title track (1978): The iconic song is remembered for the barely there sari worn by the actress, but it is so much more than that. It is a great song, a pivotal moment in the movie and makes the actress look like a work of art. Many would later reference the tune as a major turning point in Indian cinema.
Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani from The Great Gambler (1979): The thriller was noted for being shot at international locations, and perhaps the most memorable was this love song filmed on an Italian gondola. The song pictured on the actress and Amitabh Bachchan showed less definitely can be more as it drifts along on a sea of romance.
Aap Jaisa Koi from Qurbani (1980): The gentle disco number made a massive impact. Apart from once again showing the glory of the actress on the big screen, it helped turn the movie into a blockbuster and teenager Nazia Hassan into a singing superstar. It also helped launch the pop industry in India.
Laila O Laila from Qurbani (1980): The second song from the smash hit film once again showed the immense sex appeal of the shining star and confirmed she was indeed the dream girl of an entire generation. This song would later be remixed and pictured on Sunny Leone in 2017 film Raees, but will always be associated with Zeenat.
Kab Ke Bichhde Hue from Laawaris (1981): She might have been onscreen with Indian cinema’s biggest star Amitabh Bachchan, but you just can’t take your eyes off the actress in this romantic duet. She managed to draw out extra emotions and showed just why she remains a shining icon today. We at Eastern Eye wish her a happy birthday and will celebrate by watching her in these songs again
Lunchbox is a powerful one-woman show that tackles themes of identity, race, bullying and belongingInstagram/ lubnakerr
She says, ''do not assume you know what is going on in people’s lives behind closed doors''Instagram/ lubnakerr
He says "immigrants are the lifeblood of this country"Instagram/ itsmetawseef
This book is, in a way, a love letter to how they raised meInstagram/ itsmetawseef
The crew of The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs
A still from Sarkar, inspired by 'The Godfather' and rooted in Indian politicsIndia Glitz
Sarkar became a landmark gangster film in Indian cinemaIndia Glitz
The film introduced a uniquely Indian take on the mafia genreRotten Tomatoes
Set in Mumbai, Sarkar portrayed the dark world of parallel justiceRotten Tomatoes
Ram Gopal Varma’s Sarkar marked 20 years of influence and acclaimIMDb
The statues were the product of a transatlantic effortGetty Iamges