Zeenat Aman shares a pic of her younger self, but reveals she never saw herself as beautiful, urges self-acceptance over “pretty privilege"

Zeenat Aman shares a pic of her younger self, but reveals she never saw herself as beautiful, urges self-acceptance over “pretty privilege"

Zeenat Aman has always been celebrated as one of the most glamorous stars of Hindi cinema. Yet in a recent Instagram post, the veteran actress revealed that she never quite saw herself as beautiful. Sharing a throwback photograph, she penned an honest reflection on beauty, perception, and self-acceptance.

“Sometimes I see an old picture of myself and think, ‘You weren’t a bad looking girl, Ms. Aman!’” Zeenat wrote. But what follows, she confessed, is often laughter and dramatic eye-rolls from millennials around her.

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Despite a career defined by her looks—winning a beauty pageant, headlining films by celebrated directors, and being called a “sex symbol”—Zeenat admitted she didn’t internalize the image others had of her. “I never fully considered myself beautiful,” she shared, acknowledging that she relied on what she calls “pretty privilege” to navigate the industry rather than feeling it within.

She wondered aloud if the constant performance of beauty, rather than an authentic experience of it, shaped her discomfort. Perhaps it was the fear of vanity or the way public adulation reduced her to appearances. Whatever the reasons, she explained, she always wrestled with this uneasy relationship with her own reflection.

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Zeenat noted that this disconnect is not unique to her. “I see people every day who are stunning, but they focus only on their flaws. Compliments bounce right off them.” In her view, beauty—no matter how widely acknowledged—means little without self-validation.

On the professional front, Zeenat Aman was recently seen in The Royals and has now wrapped up the shoot of Bun Tikki.