Zeenat Aman invited her audience into a slice of her past, recounting a moment that blended glamour with misfortune. She spoke of a gift from a wealthy friend which was later stolen during an event. In her caption she added, “It’s true that my captions do seem to meander on and on. All I can say to that is my page, my rules! My friend Ameena (not her real name) was a fabulously wealthy woman. Her husband, a billionaire of Arab origin, indulged his wife’s every whim. She noticed my penchant for watches and in her grand way gifted me a Rolex worth much more than anything I had ever owned. That Rolex became my prized possession, and there was nary a day it didn’t adorn my wrist.” Continuing how things turned for worse, she added, “A few years later, an MPs versus actors’ charity cricket match was organised in New Delhi to benefit the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund, attended by PM Indira Gandhi herself. Being in a sporting mood, I had decided to play the match. Ever careful, I placed my precious Rolex in my bag, added it to the heap of others and sauntered off. Lo and behold, when we returned, laughing and sweaty, my bag was nowhere to be found! Yes, my handbag and everything in it was filched that day, never to be seen again. I was utterly distraught but had to put on a brave face given the occasion. That episode put me off expensive watches for a long, long time, until quite recently when my sons gifted me a beautiful Cartier timepiece to mark a special day.” The anecdote, tinged with nostalgia, reminded readers that even icons carry stories of loss and recovery. Her journey from treasured Rolex to Cartier reflects not only changing times but also the enduring affection of family. Beyond these personal memories, Zeenat continues to be remembered for her legendary presence in Hindi cinema, with films like ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’, ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’, ‘Don’, ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ and ‘Qurbani’ securing her place in history.
