Zeenat Aman

Zeenat Aman (Hindi: ज़ीनत अमIन, Urdu: زینت اَمن), born November 19, 1951) is an Indian actress.

Zeenat Aman was born to a Muslim father and a Hindu mother. Amanullah, her father was one of the writers for the movie Mughal-e-Azam and he died when Zeenat was just 13. Aman graduated from St. Xavier's School in Mumbai and went to Los Angeles for her studies. Upon returning to India, she first took a job as a journalist for Femina and then later on moved on to modeling. She was the second runner up in the Miss India Contest and went on to win the Miss Asia Pacific in 1970. She was considered a sex symbol during the 70s.

Aman's sultry persona was a contrast to many of the more conservative stars of the era. At a time when heroines were obedient wives and lovers on screen, Aman was drawn to more unique roles - she was cast as the opportunist who deserts her jobless lover for a millionaire (Roti Kapda Aur Makaan), the ambitious girl who considers aborting her baby to pursue a career (Ajnabee), the happy hooker (Manoranjan), the disenchanted hippie (Hare Rama Hare Krishna), the girl who falls in love with her mother's one-time lover (Prem Shastra), and a woman married to a caustic cripple but involved in an extramarital relationship (Dhund). She managed to balance these roles with acting in more conventional films such as Chori Mera Kaam, Chhaila Babu, Dostana and Lawaaris.