Yesteryear star Zeenat Aman, who has won hearts both on and off screen, once shared a throwback post on Instagram recalling how she got her big break in ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’. She revealed that it was Dev Anand who offered her the role and fondly referred to him as her ‘starmaker’.
Dev Anand convinced Zeenat’s mother
In her note, Zeenat revealed that she and her family were actually preparing to leave India when Dev Anand convinced her mother to delay their plans. Along with the story, she posted a beautiful black-and-white picture with him. She began her note by saying that every actor wishes for someone who sees their potential, and for her, that person was Dev Anand.
Zeenat Aman on her early days
The ‘Dum Maro Dum’ song actress went on to share, “It was 1970, and I think O P Ralhan was feeling quite sorry for me. He had given me a bit part in Hulchul, it had made little impact, and I was already packing my bags to relocate to Malta with my mother and stepfather.”
How Zeenat was cast in ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’
The actress remembered the day she met Dev Anand and his Navketan team, who were casting for ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’. It was O. P. Ralhan who suggested her name, and during the meeting, she quietly observed as she was still in her teens. A few days later, she was called in for a screen test, which eventually led to her being cast as Jasbir/Janice in the film.
Shooting days in Kathmandu
She further shared that just as her family was preparing to leave India, Dev Anand convinced her mother to delay their plans. Instead, they travelled to Kathmandu, where they stayed at the well-known Soaltee Hotel, waiting for the shoot to begin. She admitted that the long wait made her restless, and when her first scene a bus sequence finally came, she delivered her lines with such eagerness that it now makes her laugh whenever she watches it.Adding to the note, “In those days it took much longer to make a film from start to finish. Two or three years even. My mother and I once again prepared to leave Mumbai, and yet again Dev Saab persuaded us to stay. He promised to edit quickly and get the movie into the cinemas. Sure enough, the film released, it became a huge hit, and I became a star.””My immigration plans were now indefinitely postponed, and Dev Saab started writing another script with me in mind… (More tomorrow.)” the veteran star stated.
About her project
In recent years, the diva made a strong comeback through social media, where her thoughtful posts and candid stories often go viral. She appeared in the 2023 web series ‘Showstopper’ alongside Shweta Tiwari, Sourabh Raaj Jain, and Rohit Roy.
