Zeenat Aman says her dad never ‘got his dues’ as writer, reveals how she got her surname

Veteran actor Zeenat Aman took a trip down memory lane and spoke about her late father Amanullah Khan and mother Vardhini Scindia. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Father’s Day, Zeenat talked about her parent’s marriage. In her note, she also recalled memories of when she spent time with her father after her parents parted ways. Zeenat revealed that she wants to translate and publish a volume of Urdu poetry written by her father. (Also Read | Zeenat Aman recalls her reaction to being serenaded by Italian man during Roman holiday with her kids)

Zeenat’s childhood pic

Zeenat also shared how her surname came to be Aman. On Instagram, Zeenat also posted her childhood photo featuring Amanullah and their relative. In the picture, the trio posed near a boat painted at a photo studio. Sharing the picture, Zeenat wrote, “This precious image was taken at a photo studio when I was a child. My father is sitting behind me, and another relative is in front. My father Amanullah Khan came from royal stock. His mother Akhtar Jahan Begum was first cousins with the last ruler of the state of Bhopal, His Highness Nawab Hamidullah Khan.”

Zeenat’s post

She also added, “Aman Sahab, as he was known, was one of eight siblings, and they led a leisurely life in Bhopal. As he grew up he was considered extremely handsome. So he and his cousin Al Nasir came to Mumbai to see if they could find fame and fortune in Hindi cinema. He met my mother Vardhini Scindia socially at a party in the city. They had a whirlwind courtship and got married soon after. Unsurprisingly, neither family approved. She was a practicing Hindu and he came from a strong Muslim family. After a brief acting career, Aman Sahab went on to become a writer. Amongst other projects, he most famously worked on the screenplay and dialogues for Mughal-E-Azam and also Pakeezah. Though he was enormously talented and respected as a writer, I don’t feel he ever got his just dues. I suppose writers rarely do.”

Zeenat on her parents

Zeenat continued, “On the homefront, my parents decided to separate a few years after I was born. I stayed with my mother, and my father moved into a sprawling bungalow on Mount Mary Hill in Bandra. I remember going for long walks with him during which he would treat me to ice cream. He would tell me stories and would recite Urdu poems, some of which he made up especially for me. He would also write beautiful letters in English to my mother and I.”

Zeenat on her surname

The actor concluded, “These are my few memories of my father. He passed away at the early age of 41, when I was still in school. I wish I had had the chance to spend more time with him. To know him not just through the lens of a child, but as a teenager and adult. Amongst the few possessions I hold close to my heart, is a volume of Urdu poetry that he wrote. I hope to have this translated and published some day. One never gets too old to miss their parents. On Father’s Day, I am thinking of my father Amanullah Khan, whose name I chose to make my own.”