Zeenat Aman has once again spoken out about her views on live-in relationships, months after she had ignited a debate on them with her Instagram post. She shared a video of her interview with Simi Garewal from 1999. In this interview as well, she had the same views. Expressing herself further, she wrote, “Remember I posted my opinion on live-in relationships some months ago? It caused quite a kerfuffle among some of my contemporaries and was accompanied by the usual accusations of insulting traditional values. Well, here’s a blast from the past, my younger self expressing the exact same view.”Making it clear she wasn’t seeking attention or outrage, she added, “I am honestly not courting controversy, but simply expounding the truth I have discerned from my own experiences.”Elaborating on what she believes truly defines a meaningful partnership, Zeenat explained, “The core of my view is that it’s more important for a relationship to be held sacred by the two people in it than to be ‘sanctified’ for society through marriage. The idea that you cannot have a fulfilling relationship without state or religious approval is, quite frankly, as ridiculous as the belief that marriage can magically fix an unhappy relationship.”She also acknowledged the weight of social conditioning while noting a shift among younger generations. “I understand societal expectations. But I also see that more and more young people today are entering relationships as equals, not to build wealth, form alliances, seek protection, please parents, or have children, but to experience the beauty of human connection. The bedrock of a healthy relationship is not its governmental status; it is the respect and love two people share, regardless of paperwork.”Referring to the resurfaced interview, Zeenat credited Simi for encouraging honest dialogue around sensitive subjects. “This clip is from an overwhelming interview I did in 1999. I was not expecting to be questioned about such personal matters, but I went with the flow. To be frank, it still makes me uncomfortable to watch. Yet, enough time has passed for me to realise how important such conversations are. By eliciting raw and unfiltered responses from me, Simi made these subjects less taboo for others to discuss.”In the video, Zeenat speaks openly about her difficult marriages and her decision not to remarry. “You can have a relationship without being married. I never want to get married again,” she says. When asked if such arrangements lead to insecurity, she responds confidently, “I don’t think so.”Sharing her thoughts on life’s unpredictability, she reflects, “With my mother’s passing and Mazhar’s passing, he was just 42 when he died, what is permanent in life? Nothing. Why should we assume any relationship is permanent? Even your children are not yours; they grow up and grow away.”In April 2024, Zeenat had revealed that she advised her sons to consider live-in relationships before marriage and her comments that drew sharp criticism from actors Mukesh Khanna, Mumtaz and Saira Banu, who described her perspective as “unacceptable.”Zeenat Aman was married to Mazhar Khan, who died due to kidney failure. She has previously spoken about the emotional strain she endured in the marriage. Recalling that period in her conversation with Simi Garewal, she had admitted, “In the first year of marriage, I realised I had made a mistake. But since I had taken the decision against everybody’s wishes, I felt I had to make it work. I am not saying it was the best thing for him either. It was a difficult time from the very first year because I was pregnant with my first child and Mazhar was not there. At that time, there was a major article in Stardust about the woman he was seeing. That was the reality.”
