Zeenat Aman rejects marriage’s ‘sanctity’, cites her own heartbreak: ‘I posted my views on live-in relationships…’

Clarifying her intent, she added, “I am honestly not courting controversy, but simply expounding the truth I have discerned from my own experiences.”

Explaining her perspective further, Zeenat wrote, “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.”

In the note, Zeenat Aman also acknowledged societal pressures. “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.”

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Referring to the interview clip, she credited Simi Garewal for normalising bold and personal conversations.

“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 Aman candidly states that after her difficult marriages, she had no desire to remarry or have more children.

“You can have a relationship without being married. I never want to get married again,” she says. When asked whether such relationships bring insecurity, she responded firmly, “I don’t think so.”

Reflecting on loss and impermanence, she added, “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.”

Back in April 2024, when Zeenat revealed that she had advised her sons to consider live-in relationships before marriage, she faced criticism from actors Mukesh Khanna, Mumtaz and Saira Banu, who called her views “unacceptable.”

Zeenat Aman was married twice — first to actor Sanjay Khan, a marriage that ended amid public controversy, and later to Mazhar Khan, who passed away due to kidney failure. She had earlier spoken about the challenges in that relationship as well.

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.”

Despite past backlash, Zeenat Aman’s recent post saw an outpouring of support from fans, many praising her for “being ahead of her time” and “speaking her truth” without hesitation.