Zeenath Aman, Hindi Film Actor on Ageing

 

Zeenath Aman, Hindi Film Actor on Ageing

If I am going to occupy a little corner of the internet, I might as well use it to say something I actually believe. And perhaps age had helped me with that. You become less concerned with pleasing everybody.

Ageing is not a failure, but a privilege.

For her, turning 75 isn't about pretending to be younger.

She says,"I am not trying to prove that 75 is the new 45. I am pushing 75, and I rather like that. Ageing is not a failure. It is a privilege, provided we are fortunate enough to experience it. And I don't think women should have to apologise for becoming older. There is a great deal of freedom that comes with age - you become less interested in what society thinks of you and more interested in what you think of yourself."

People, particularly young people, recognise sincerity when they encounter it.

An actor today has to negotiate talent, social media and an extraordinary amount of scrutiny. Enduring star power, I believe is possible. But longevity isn't manufactured. You cannot strategise your way into becoming an icon. You have to leave some sort of imprint on people. Sometimes, the audience decides what endures.

If my being visible, working, dressing as I please, speaking my mind and occasionally making a fool of myself on Instagram encourages another woman to remain visible, then I'm delighted. You don't have to become invisible simply because the world has decided that youth is more marketable. There is still so much left to live. Why on earth should we hide it?

Onkar Kulkarni, in Trivandrum Times of The Times of India, 22 August 2026