Zeenat Aman recalls ‘awkward’ moment when she was confused with Parveen Babi by a fan after actor's death

Zeenat Aman did a Reddit AMA session on Thursday where she answered many questions about her career in Bollywood and life.

Updated on: Mar 6, 2025, 20:40:35 IST

By Santanu Das

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Actors Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi were hugely popular actors in the Hindi film industry in the mid 70s and the 80s. In those years, Parveen and Zeenat would go on to become some of the most stylishly dressed female actors on the screen. On Thursday, Zeenat did a Reddit AMA where a fan asked the actor if she was ever confused for Parveen Babi in public by fans. To this, Zeenat gave an affirmative reply and went on to recall an ‘awkward’ moment with a particular fan. (Also read: When Parveen Babi was not comfortable with dancing on screen but said ‘If Zeenat can do it, so can I’)

Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi worked together in the films Ashanti (1982) and Ameer Aadmi Ghareeb Aadmi (1985).

What Zeenat said about Parveen

A Reddit user asked a question which read, “Hi Zeenat Ji. As a kid I would always get confused between yourself and Parveen Babi. Did you ever get confused in public by fans?”

In response, Zeenat said, “That was a very common mistake. Parveen was stunning so I didn't mind it either! There was one very awkward moment in Dubai when a woman went absolutely gaga over me thinking I'm Parveen, but this was AFTER her passing! It was so uncomfortable, and I was the one to have to break it to that dejected fan that her favourite actress is no more.”

Zeenat Aman's response to a Reddit user.

About Parveen Babi

During their time, Parveen Babi was considered the biggest competitor of Zeenat Aman as both of them came from a modelling background. Parveen and Zeenat went on to work with popular actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Shashi Kapoor and Shatrughan Sinha. She became the first Indian to appear on the cover page of TIME Magazine. Her last Bollywood film was Shatrughan Sinha-Moon Moon Sen starrer Iraada (1991).

Parveen Babi was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and also had diabetes and osteoarthritis of the knee. She died of multiple organ failure at the age of 50 and her body was only discovered three days after her death.

On the other hand, Zeenat Aman will be seen next in Netflix's The Royals which also stars Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar. She also has a role in Bun Tikki, co-starring Shabana Azmi and Abhay Deol.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Santanu Das
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!.

Get more updates from Bollywood, Taylor Swift, Hollywood, Music and Web Series along with Latest Entertainment News at Hindustan Times.