Mumbai, Sep 16 (NationPress) The iconic Bollywood star Zeenat Aman, known for transforming the portrayal of women in Hindi cinema with her stunning glamour and modern fashion sense during the 1970s and 1980s, revealed that she has never perceived herself as beautiful.

Zeenat, often labeled as a sex symbol, recently posted a nostalgic picture of her younger self on Instagram.

In her caption, she reflected: “Sometimes I come across an old photo and think, ‘you weren’t a bad-looking girl, Ms. Aman!’ However, when I voice this thought, I’m usually met with an annoyed sigh and a theatrical eye roll from whichever of my three millennial companions is nearby.”

Despite her self-doubt regarding beauty, she acknowledged that others have viewed her as attractive.

“It’s true; I never saw myself as beautiful, but I learned to accept that others did. I recently came across the term ‘pretty privilege,’ and goodness, did I utilize mine! The world can be harsh, and I realized early on to leverage every advantage I have to navigate it.”

She admits, “It sounds horrifically self-indulgent to declare that.”

“After all, I won a beauty pageant, was cast as a leading lady by the country’s most esteemed directors, and was widely recognized as a ‘sex symbol.’ So, I can’t quite grasp why I struggled to embrace my own physical presence.”

“Perhaps I became more engrossed in the act of being beautiful than in experiencing beauty itself. Or maybe the pressure of public scrutiny on one’s looks diminished my emotional self-worth. I might have also feared becoming arrogant, deeming it too vain and indulgent to view myself as beautiful. Most likely, it’s a blend of all these factors and more.”

She clarifies, “It’s not that I have an unattainable beauty standard.”

Zeenat notices beautiful individuals around her constantly.

“Yet, surprisingly, these individuals often don’t perceive themselves as beautiful either. Every compliment is countered with a focus on some perceived flaw. I’m certain you do it too! This brings me back to the notion that physical beauty, no matter how widely acknowledged, is insignificant without self-acceptance.”

She concluded, “So, if you wish to genuinely feel beautiful – step outside of your mind and view yourself through the eyes of someone who loves you. Hopefully, you will recognize your own light and understand that no cream, collagen, or facelift can rival the lens of love and acceptance.”