Veteran actor Zeenat Aman has sparked a discussion on social attitudes towards women in films by sharing a scene from the 1980 film Dostana on her social media. In the video, Aman’s character Sheetal confronts harassment on a beach and drags the offender to the police, highlighting the patriarchal mindset of that era.
Aman reflected on how films from her time were shaped by such attitudes, noting the lasting influence these portrayals have on perceptions of gender roles. She observed that while some mindsets persist, there has been progress in how these issues are addressed today.
On Instagram, Aman wrote, “Every now and then, I’ll find myself flipping through clips from my old movies, in search of something to share with you. Today I found one from Great Gambler, one from Don, and then the algorithm offered me this. A scene so ripe for social commentary that it sent me into a spin!”
She further commented on the evolution of social norms: “When one is young one thinks the moralities of the time are set in granite. Absolute and unyielding; at best to be chipped at by one’s own impotent acts of rebellion. Then the years turn, and one day you look up from your screen and think ‘wow, everything changed.’ Okay, perhaps not everything. The moral police is no doubt as vigilant as ever today, but the narrative has certainly progressed.”
The scene shows Inspector Vijay, played by Amitabh Bachchan, questioning Sheetal about her attire and suggesting she dress more modestly. Sheetal challenges his opinion and asserts her right to choose her clothing, underscoring the clash between tradition and autonomy.
Aman addressed female viewers of the clip: “If you’re a woman who watched this clip, let me make a few guesses. You were infuriated by the eve-teasing and resonated with Sheetal’s discomfort and anger, having probably experienced such a thing firsthand. You loved that she dragged her harasser to the police station, a triumph you probably never felt. And then you were incensed by our hero, Inspector Vijay’s, condescending opinion and tone! Am I right? Well that opinion and tone were par for the course back in the day.”
She pointed out that reactions have changed over time. Aman noted, “Back in the day your average woman would think Vijay to be a mighty upstanding gentleman because Sheetal deserved a reprimand just as much as her harasser. But the young woman I showed it to earlier today? She sneered at the poor Inspector and said ‘What a loser.’ I had a good laugh at that.”
– Ends
