Actor Chunky Pandey opened up about a hilarious teenage memory on the sets of the dance reality show India's Best Dancer season 5, revealing that he once wore a burqa just to sneak into a theatre and watch a Zeenat Aman film. Zeenat Aman herself appeared on the show as a special guest, and the exchange added a light, nostalgic moment to the episode.
A burqa to beat the age restriction
Chunky Pandey said he was only 15 when Zeenat Aman's film Satyam Shivam Sundaram released in theatres, and back then the film carried an adult rating. Because of his age, he was stopped and thrown out of the cinema hall three to four times whenever he tried to buy a ticket or slip past the entrance. Determined to watch the film on the big screen, he eventually disguised himself in a burqa to get past the ushers. Speaking to Zeenat on stage, Chunky joked, "I turned into a girl for the first time because of you, I swear to God." He added that the disguise finally worked, letting him watch the film he had been chasing for weeks.
Terence Lewis remembers Zeenat's style
The same episode also saw choreographer and India's Best Dancer judge Terence Lewis reminisce about Zeenat Aman's influence on fashion. Terence specifically recalled her iconic look with yellow sunglasses, calling it simple yet unforgettable. "It was so simple but so striking, and you looked amazing," Terence said. He also noted that fashion trends today seem to be circling back to that same oversized-sunglasses style Zeenat had made her own decades ago.
Zeenat says the look was all her own
Zeenat Aman revealed that the striking look was not the work of a stylist but something she had put together herself. She also looked back on the days of shooting Satyam Shivam Sundaram in Kathmandu, describing how lively the atmosphere on set used to be. According to her, large crowds of local residents would gather every time the crew filmed a song sequence, making the shoot even more memorable.
About the film
Satyam Shivam Sundaram released in 1978 and was directed by Raj Kapoor, with Zeenat Aman and Shashi Kapoor in the lead roles. Zeenat played Roopa, a village woman whose appearance and beauty became central to the film's exploration of love, perception and social attitudes. Shashi Kapoor played the role of Rajeev opposite her. The film is also remembered for its music, and its title track, "Satyam Shivam Sundaram," went on to become one of the most celebrated songs in Hindi cinema, one that is still recalled fondly whenever the golden era of Bollywood comes up in conversation.
