Given a chance to play a character in modern Indian cinema, veteran actress Zeenat Aman would have loved a shot at portraying Priyanka Chopra’s Kashibai character in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2015 period drama Bajirao Mastani, she said during an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session on Reddit.
Upon being asked if there was a recent film in which she felt she could have excelled, the 73-year-old actress replied, “I don't know whether I would have nailed it, but I would have loved the chance to play Priyanka Chopra's character in Bajirao Mastani. It was a complex role that piqued my interest.”
Bajirao Mastani revolves around Peshwa Bajirao (Ranveer Singh), who falls in love with Mastani (Deepika Padukone) despite being married to Kashibai (Priyanka Chopra). As Bajirao’s affection shifts, Kashibai — both devoted and dutiful — navigates jealousy, heartbreak and resilience while continuing to love her husband unconditionally.
During the AMA, Aman also reflected on her past career choices, admitting that she regretted working on S. Ali Raza’s 1982 film Jaanwar, where she starred opposite Rajesh Khanna. “In all honesty, I regret doing Jaanwar. It took eight years to make, and by the end of it, we were just exhausted! It was absolutely tedious to shoot in bits and bobs over so many years,” she wrote.
Aman also revealed that she still laments giving up on her role in Manmohan Desai’s 1977 classic Amar Akbar Anthony. “I have to say that I regret giving up the role I was offered in Amar Akbar Anthony. My negotiations with the director/producer (for whom I had just delivered a smash hit) fell through. I don’t regret holding my ground, but I regret missing out on that role. It seemed like such a fun project,” she shared.
Aman spoke about the evolving landscape of the Hindi film industry, particularly the increasing presence of women in key roles. “I know people like to criticise the Hindi film industry, and much of it is valid. But a major and positive improvement I see is that there are women at every rung of the process, pulling their weight and claiming their place with competence. In my time, it wasn’t unusual to be the only woman on set. So this is a striking difference to me,” she observed.
Aman said that had she debuted in 2024, she would have wanted to star in a film set in a rural area. “Hindi films have become so heavily urbanised,” she observed.
Aman also spoke about her upcoming projects Bun Tikki and The Royals. Speaking fondly of her Royals co-star Ishaan Khatter, she said, “I recently had a wonderful time working with Ishaan Khatter. He is a thorough gentleman, and his parents should be proud.”
Zeenat Aman made her acting debut in 1970 with the Indo-Filipino film The Evil Within. She later appeared in Hulchul (1971), with her breakthrough coming in Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971).
Set to premiere on Netflix, The Royals marks Aman’s first collaboration with the streaming platform. The show is written by Neha Veena Sharma, produced by Pritish Nandy, and directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana.
Aman will also be seen in Faraz Arif Ansari’s Bun Tikki, a Manish Malhotra production that marks her on-screen reunion with Shabana Azmi after the 1982 crime drama Ashanti.