What is the story behind Zeenat Aman's cameo in ‘Hum Kisise Kum Naheen’?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Zeenat Aman shares her unique experiences in Bollywood.
- Her cameo in ‘Hum Kisise Kum Naheen’ was a significant moment.
- Height dynamics in Bollywood often influenced casting decisions.
- Director Nasir Hussain played a pivotal role in her appearance.
- Gender norms in cinema have evolved over the years.
Mumbai, May 12 (NationPress) Renowned Bollywood actress Zeenat Aman, who recently starred in the streaming series ‘The Royals’, is revisiting her past.
On Monday, the esteemed actress took to her Instagram account to share a clip from her film ‘Hum Kisise Kum Naheen’ and recounted the story behind her only scene in this cinematic piece.
In her caption, she expressed, “Oh, you fancy yourself a Hindi cinema connoisseur but you’ve never heard this song? That’s likely because you are quite young. Play it for your parents, and they’ll instantly recognize it. Here’s a little secret: out of all the men I have collaborated with from the Kapoor family, Rishi Kapoor and I had the least interaction both socially and professionally. In fact, during our overlapping careers, we only appeared together in this one song. This was largely due to Director Nasir Hussain considering me a bit of a lucky charm that year, because his previous film ‘Yaadon ki Baaraat’, in which I starred, had become a massive hit.”
She also shared her delight regarding that film's success and how it made her unable to decline Nasir’s request for a special appearance in ‘Hum Kisise Kum Naheen’.
She elaborated, “My role consisted of just this one Qawwali number (the only one in my career) and a romantic scene with Chintu ji. Many of you know that my height often posed a challenge for my co-stars. Within the strict gender norms of Hindi cinema (or perhaps globally), it was deemed unattractive for an actress to be taller than her male counterpart. So there we were, Chintu ji and I, sharing flirtatious moments on a russet leather couch, yet our seated positions highlighted our height disparity.”
“To Chintu ji’s dismay, Nasir Saab placed him on one and then two cushions to give him an edge in height! The banter was rather entertaining, I believe. After all, which one of you ladies hasn’t playfully accused your partner of something akin to - “Wherever you see a pretty face, you lose your balance!” Am I right?”, she concluded.