Zeenat Aman has often been in the spotlight, not just for her successful Bollywood career but also for her personal life. From her relationship with Sanjay Khan to her reportedly difficult marriage to Mazhar Khan, several chapters of her life have been widely discussed over the years.The veteran actress, who was once among the highest-paid stars in the industry and was known for films such as Satyam Shivam Sundaram and Dharam Veer, recently reflected on the intense public scrutiny surrounding her personal life.Speaking to Between Us By Anamika, Zeenat shared how she now looks back at that phase of her life with compassion. Talking about those years, she said, “With a lot of compassion. I was young. I made choices on what I believed and what I wanted at that time.” She added, “Some choices served me and some didn’t.” Explaining her perspective, she said, “Age gives you the luxury of looking back without needing to either defend yourself or punish yourself.”
Zeenat Aman on infidelity and public scrutiny
When asked about infidelity in Bollywood, the actress said, “Infidelity is not uniquely a Bollywood phenomenon. It is a human failing. What changes in our industry is that private relationships often become public entertainment. And I don’t think anyone benefits from turning another person’s heartbreak into gossip. That’s the truth.”She added that while the industry may not have changed much, technology has changed the way people’s personal lives are recorded and seen by the public. “What has changed is our ability to document, photograph and circulate everything,” she explained.Zeenat also said that she faced unwanted advances during her career but prefers not to discuss her personal experiences as gossip.“I have had advances made towards me. As most women in public life probably have. But I don’t want to turn my personal history into anecdotal spectacle. There are things I can discuss thoughtfully and things I prefer to keep mine,” she said.Zeenat Aman opens up about her marriage to Mazhar KhanIn the same interview, the Qurbani actress also opened up about her marriage to Mazhar Khan and the lessons she learned from the relationship.
Marriage to Mazhar was about starting a family
“Relationships are always more complicated than the version that eventually becomes gossip. What I can honestly say is that when I married Mazhar, I was ready to become a mother. And I have spoken openly about that. I believed marriage was the route to building a family and I made my choice accordingly,” she said.She described her marriage as an eye-opener, adding, “It taught me about the difference between love and self-abandonment. I personally stayed because I had made a commitment, because we had children and because I had hoped that things would change.”However, she eventually realised that she could not save someone at the cost of her own well-being.“Eventually, I understood that you cannot save another person by destroying yourself. I have openly spoken about having fought many of his battles, but I eventually realised and recognised that he had to help himself. He is the father of my children, so I would not like to say anything derogatory about him,” she said.
‘Heartbreak teaches you boundaries’
Reflecting on what heartbreak taught her, Zeenat said, “Success can teach you confidence, but heartbreak teaches you boundaries. It teaches you that being loved is not enough if you are not respected. And that staying is not always the noble thing. Sometimes, leaving is an act of love for yourself and for the people who depend on you.”Speaking about the toxicity she experienced in her marriage, she said, “Many women are taught to be accommodating. To interpret someone else’s behaviour generously and their own discomfort as an inconvenience. I wish I had understood earlier that discomfort is information.”She added, “I think most women have done some version of that at some point. The danger is that you can become so good at accommodating another person that you eventually don’t recognise yourself.”
What does a healthy relationship look like?
Zeenat also said that a healthy relationship should give both partners the freedom and space to grow.“It shouldn’t require you to become smaller. I have spoken publicly about how in my marriage, there was an element of being encouraged to disconnect from the outside world. It stops you from growing as an individual and an artist,” she said.Offering advice to those looking for healthy relationships, Zeenat said, “Look at how you feel when you are with that person. Do you feel safe? Can you disagree? Can you have your own friends, ambitions and money? Can you say no without fear? And perhaps most importantly, do you like the woman you become around this person?”
Zeenat Aman and Mazhar Khan’s marriage
Zeenat married actor Mazhar Khan in 1985, and they had two sons, Azaan and Zahaan. She later spoke about the marriage as a difficult period in her life, marked by infidelity and Mazhar’s dependence on prescription painkillers.In an earlier interview with Simi Garewal, Zeenat said she spent years fighting his battles and caring for him before eventually leaving after around 12 years.“It took me a very long time to do that because when I left, I still cared. I had fought so many of his battles so hard for him. It was very difficult for me to leave, even though it was a question of self-preservation,” she had said.