Veteran actor Zeenat Aman took a walk down memory lane and shared a video from her “personal favourite” song Oh Diwano Dil Samhalo from her 1979 film The Great Gambler. Taking to Instagram, Zeenat posted the clip, which featured her dancing wearing a red outfit.
Zeenat Aman talks about her song Oh Diwano Dil Samhalo
Zeenat recalled her dancing days and said that the romantic number Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani became the most widely loved song among audiences. The song, Oh Diwano Dil Samhalo, was sung by legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle. It captures what Zeenat called “the confidence and sass of a woman who knows her desirability.”
She wrote, “Another hit from The Great Gambler! Do Lafzon Ki was the movie’s most loved song by popular consensus, but this one is my personal favourite. None of that drippy romance stuff here. Just the confidence and sass of a woman who knows her desirability!”
Zeenat opens up about song’s choreography
The actor also reminisced about the styling and choreography of the song sequence, which featured multiple costume changes. One particular outfit, a shimmering gold track-pant set, stood out in her memory.
“The sequence had three outfit changes, of which the shimmering gold track-pant set (not featured in this clip, but you can find it on YouTube) tickled me the most! Not only was the outfit completely over the top, the hair team decided to give me a short pageboy wig to go with, and the dance master decided to add in some high kicks for good measure,” she added.
Zeenat talks about her dancing skills
Zeenat also said that dancing was never her strongest suit in her film career. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she said she never received formal dance training, which sometimes influenced how directors approached choreography for her songs. Ending her post on a playful note, Zeenat invited fans to revisit the clip and guess the voice behind the song.
“As I’ve mentioned before, I wasn’t a very confident dancer as I never had formal training unlike most of the actresses of the time. Still, i could ‘groove’ and many a director realised it’s better to leave me to my own swaying device than frustrate themselves trying to coax complicated choreography out of me! Anyway, enjoy this snippet. P.S: can you guess who sang this number?” concluded her note.
About The Great Gambler
Directed by Shakti Samanta, The Great Gambler starred Amitabh Bachchan in a dual role- as Jai, a skilled gambler working for an underworld don, and Vijay, a CID inspector, whereas Zeenat played the character Shabnam in the film. The film’s music was composed by the late RD Burman.
Zeenat’s latest projects
Zeenat became a household name during the 1970s and 1980s after winning the title of Miss Asia Pacific International pageant in 1970. Zeenat has given several hits, including Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Don, Yaadon ki Baraat, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Qurbani, Dostana, and Dharam Veer.
Fans will see Zeenat next in Bun Tikki, produced by Manish Malhotra’s production banner Stage5 Productions. Directed by Faraz Arif Ansari, the film also stars Shabana Azmi and Abhay Deol.