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Zeenat Aman Reveals That Rishi Kapoor Had to Use 2 Cushions to Reach Her Height
Updated on: 13 May, 2025 11:50 AM IST |Amruta Karulkar
Zeenat Aman and Rishi Kapoor
Veteran actress Zeenat Aman continues to charm audiences, not just through her iconic films but also with her engaging presence on social media. She frequently delights fans by sharing fascinating anecdotes from her illustrious career, offering glimpses into her experiences with co-stars and the film industry. Recently, Aman took to Instagram to recount a memorable incident involving the late Rishi Kapoor, shedding light on gender biases prevalent not only in Hindi cinema but across the global film landscape – specifically, the notion that an actress shouldn`t appear taller than her male love interest on screen.
Despite working with several members of the Kapoor family, Zeenat Aman disclosed that her interactions with Rishi Kapoor were minimal, both professionally and socially. “Oh, you’re a Hindi cinema buff, but you’ve never heard this song? That, my dear, is probably because you are very young. Play it for your parents, and they’ll immediately be able to place it. Here’s the truth: of all the men I worked with from the Kapoor khandan, Rishi and I interacted the least, both socially and professionally. In fact, in all the years that our careers overlapped, we only featured together in this one song," she shared. Her role in Hum Kisise Kum Naheen was brief, encompassing "just this one Qawalli number (the only one of my career) and a romantic scene with Chintu ji.” This qawwali remains the only one she performed throughout her career.
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Concluding with her signature wit, Zeenat Aman referred to the shared scene, “The banter is quite fun, I think. After all, which one of you ladies reading this has never accused your paramour of something along the lines of “Jahaan chikni surat dekhte ho, phisal jaate ho!” Am I right?” The actress, who began her career in the 1970s, has graced over 80 films, often paired with stalwarts like Dharmendra, Dev Anand, and Amitabh Bachchan, but this single song remains her only on-screen appearance with Rishi Kapoor.
Also Read: Veteran Actress Zeenat Aman Opens Up About Working with Superstar Rajesh Khanna
A Cameo for Luck
Zeenat Aman shared a video of a rare song and a scene from the film Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, explaining her special appearance. She revealed that director Nasir Hussain considered her a "lucky talisman" following the massive success of their previous collaboration, Yaadon ki Baaraat. “Director Nasir Hussain had me pinned as a bit of a lucky talisman that year. Why? Because Yaadon ki Baaraat, his previous film in which I had starred, had been a blockbuster hit,” she wrote. Aman added, “I too was quite pleased by the success of that film and found myself unable to refuse Nasir Saab’s request that I make a special appearance in Hum Kisise Kum Naheen.” Interestingly, her character was named Sunita in both these films.Despite working with several members of the Kapoor family, Zeenat Aman disclosed that her interactions with Rishi Kapoor were minimal, both professionally and socially. “Oh, you’re a Hindi cinema buff, but you’ve never heard this song? That, my dear, is probably because you are very young. Play it for your parents, and they’ll immediately be able to place it. Here’s the truth: of all the men I worked with from the Kapoor khandan, Rishi and I interacted the least, both socially and professionally. In fact, in all the years that our careers overlapped, we only featured together in this one song," she shared. Her role in Hum Kisise Kum Naheen was brief, encompassing "just this one Qawalli number (the only one of my career) and a romantic scene with Chintu ji.” This qawwali remains the only one she performed throughout her career.
Also Read: The Royals: Why The Internet is Loving Netflix`s Latest Royally Chaotic Romance
The Height of the Matter
Aman then candidly addressed the challenges her height often posed for her male co-stars. “Those of you who follow this page know that my costars often found my height prohibitive. Within the rigid gender constructs of Hindi cinema (or perhaps world cinema), it was considered unappealing for an actress to be taller than her on-screen love interest," she explained. During the filming of a romantic scene with Rishi Kapoor on a couch, their height difference became particularly noticeable. “So there we were, Chintu ji and I flirting for the camera on a russet leather couch, but for some reason our seated positions made our height difference more strikingly apparent. Much to Chintu ji’s chagrin, Nasir Saab propped him up on first one and then two cushions to make him appear taller than me!” she recalled.Concluding with her signature wit, Zeenat Aman referred to the shared scene, “The banter is quite fun, I think. After all, which one of you ladies reading this has never accused your paramour of something along the lines of “Jahaan chikni surat dekhte ho, phisal jaate ho!” Am I right?” The actress, who began her career in the 1970s, has graced over 80 films, often paired with stalwarts like Dharmendra, Dev Anand, and Amitabh Bachchan, but this single song remains her only on-screen appearance with Rishi Kapoor.
Also Read: Veteran Actress Zeenat Aman Opens Up About Working with Superstar Rajesh Khanna
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