Zeenat Aman, being one of the leading stars in the 70s, has worked with most of the A-listers of those times. She was often paired against actors Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna and Dharmendra. In an old interview with Shemaroo Lifestyle, the actress talked about her experience working with these stars and their behaviour on set.
In an interview with the publication, Zeenat Aman shared how her Ajnabee co-star would control things on set. “He was in control and everybody used to hail the hero and wait for him. I remember shooting Aashiq Hu Baharon Ka. We would start quite late. And he would be incharge-when I am going to come, when I am going to shoot, and when I am going to leave. It was all decided by Rajesh Khanna.” In the same interview, the actress shared, “Rajesh Khanna used to always be late on set.”
Zeenat Aman was first paired against Rajesh Khanna in the 1974 film Ajanabee. They were paired again in 1977 for the film Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka. By this time, the Rajesh Khanna fever had died down among the audience, but he continued to get the star treatment on sets. In 1982, they collaborated again for the film Jaanwar, which became a hit at the box office.
Comparatively, she appeared in more films with Amitabh Bachchan than Rajesh Khanna. Speaking about the Don star, Zeenat called him “extremely professional.”
Amitabh Bachchan, who shot to fame with Zanjeer in 1973, became the next big thing in Bollywood, stealing the spotlight from Rajesh Khanna. But, he never threw a tantrum on set. Zeenat, in the same interview claimed, “Amitabh Bachchan is very professional. He is producer and director’s actor.”
Amitabh Bachchan, who is still active in films, is known for surrendering himself to his directors. Just last year, his Kalki 2898 AD director Nag Ashwin revealed how the veteran star would take his permission before using the restroom. He told India Today, “I think we were shooting, and were delayed. We were trying to catch up and he came up to me and I was trying to make an excuse to him about the delay and he’s like, ‘Can I just use the restroom and come?’ I said, ‘Why are you asking me, sir, you can do whatever you want.’ So he’s just he’s just that great.”
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Later, Amitabh Bachchan took to his blog to share the reason behind taking his director’s permission. He wrote, “It is not being humble of setting example .. it’s just an act of extreme normality .. and the hullabaloo is deafening ..And the director saying it was one hellava thing that I asked him permission to go to the washroom during the shoot ..Yes I do need to take permission .. it is his set, his time , he is the Captain, I am the servant that has been employed, if I need to go for nature’s call , I must seek his permission!”
