Veteran Bollywood star Zeenat Aman, who has delivered several hits with Amitabh Bachchan (The Great Gambler, Mahaan, Pukar, Laawaris and Dostana) forgot to wish him on his 81st birthday yesterday. So, she made up for it by sharing an anecdote from one of the films they did together. Aman recalled how she was rebuked by the film’s director for no fault of her. Instead, it was Bachchan’s fault.
Sharing an old picture of herself with Bachchan, Aman wrote, “I missed wishing Mr. Bachchan on his birthday yesterday, so let me make up for it by telling a story about him that I mentioned previously. The story of the only time that I remember Mr. Bachchan being late to set.”
However, the actor refrained from naming the film, the director or the producer of the film she was referring to. She narrated how one morning she reached the set of the film and told the crew to call her when Bachchan arrived.
“We had a morning shift that day, and I hitched a ride to set with the film’s producer. As always, I had my script in hand and rehearsed my lines as we drove to the studio. Upon my arrival, I went directly to my makeup room and informed the crew to send me a message once Mr. Bachchan was ready for the shot. Our ‘roll time’ came and went, but there was no sign of Mr. Bachchan. 30 minutes passed. Then 45. An entire hour went by before there was a knock on the door. An AD informed me the Mr. Bachchan had arrived. And that he’d run straight from his car to the set!” wrote Aman.
A post shared by Zeenat Aman (@thezeenataman)
Aman rushed to the set to start the shoot only to hear abuses hurled at her by the director. She shared, “I immediately leapt up and made my way downstairs. I had just about stepped foot on set when from across the room the director let loose a torrent of abuse! He was absolutely catatonic, and under the impression that it was I who had held up production. The cast and crew stood in stunned silence as this director ranted and raved at me.”
The actor felt humiliated and she returned to her makeup room as “tears of indignation” rushed to her eyes. She told her team to pack up. As she was about to leave, Bachchan and the producer came to her door and requested her to stay.
“‘Babs, I know it’s my fault. The man is a fool and he’s drunk. Let it go and let’s get to work,” he (Bachchan) said. I accepted Mr. Bachchan’s apology of course but I was still stinging from the unwarranted dressing down I had received. I was in no mood to shoot after that humiliation,” Aman shared. Though the director apologised to her, Zaman decided to never work with him ever again.
She concluded, “When I finally softened and agreed to come back on set, the director threw himself at my feet and begged my forgiveness. It was all rather melodramatic, and though I completed the film, I never worked with that director again. 🌺”
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When Zeenat Aman was abused publicly by director as Amitabh Bachchan came late to the set: ‘That man’s a fool and he’s drunk’ – The Indian Express
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