Zeenat Aman pays a heartfelt tribute to Parveen Babi on her birth anniversary

Published on: April 8, 2023 11:36 AM

The two actresses were often compared for their similar looks and went on to share the frame in films like ‘Ashanti’ and ‘Mahaan’. Recalling the yesteryear beauty on her birth anniversary, Zeenat Aman wrote, “I’d like to remember and honour Parveen today, on her birthday. Parveen was gorgeous, glamorous and talented. Back in the 70s, we wore our hair in a similar manner and enjoyed Western fashion. Though neither of us saw it, we were told we had an uncanny resemblance. It must have been true, because as recently as last year I was approached in Dubai as “Parveen ma’am”.” Speaking about being co-stars, Zeenat added, “Naturally the media at the time spun tales of competition and rivalry between us, but in reality we were always warm towards each other. Not best friends, but contemporaries, colleagues and well-wishers. We worked together on Ashanti and Mahaan.” Addressing Parveen’s battle with mental health and her untimely demise, Zeenat added, “Parveen’s struggle with mental health illness came at a time when the country was still so insensitive and ignorant on these matters. After her death, I often ruminated on how she was remembered. The tabloids focused on her romantic relationships and “episodes”, but Parveen was much more than who she dated or what she said when she was unwell. I feel she never truly got the chance to say her piece. She was intelligent and hardworking and creative. She loved reading, and I remember her curled up with a book in between shots on set. She achieved incredible success as an actor, even featuring on the cover of Time magazine. Later, she took up various creative pursuits, embarked on a spiritual journey, and started designing interiors. We stayed in touch on and off for years, before ultimately drifting apart. Parveen was remarkable in many ways and I hope she will be remembered for the effervescent person she was.” Echoing Zeenat Aman’s thoughts, Kajol wrote ‘So true’ on the post, while Janhvi Kapoor and Farhan Akhtar dropped hearts in the comments section.