What is the story about?
Zeenat Aman recently opened up about her journey with beauty and self-acceptance in a heartfelt Instagram post. Alongside an old picture of herself, she
shared her honest thoughts on how she perceived her looks and the importance of self-validation.
A Look Back: “You Weren’t a Bad Looking Girl…”
In her note, Zeenat wrote, “Sometimes I see an old picture of myself and think, ‘You weren’t a bad looking girl, Ms. Aman!’” She added that whenever she says this out loud, she’s usually met with groans and dramatic eye-rolls from the millennials around her.
Struggling to Embrace Beauty
Zeenat further admitted she never fully considered herself beautiful but learned to accept that others saw her that way. She reflected on the term “pretty privilege” and how she used it to navigate a world that can often be harsh. Despite winning a beauty pageant, being cast as a leading lady by top directors, and being called a “sex symbol,” she struggled to embrace her physical appearance.
She wondered if constantly performing beauty, rather than feeling it, contributed to her discomfort. Perhaps the public’s focus on her looks undermined her emotional self-worth, or maybe she feared appearing vain by acknowledging her own beauty. It’s likely a combination of these factors and more.
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The Universal Struggle
Zeenat emphasised that she doesn’t have unrealistic beauty standards. She constantly sees beautiful people around her who still don’t believe they are attractive. Compliments are often deflected by focusing on perceived flaws, that is something she’s sure many can relate to.
Her reflection leads to an important insight: no matter how widely admired one’s appearance may be, it holds little meaning without inner validation. Beauty becomes hollow unless it’s backed by self-love.
Through this post, the veteran actress urged everyone to step out of their own minds and view themselves through the eyes of someone who loves them. She concluded by mentioning that no cream, collagen, or facelift can compete with the power of love and acceptance.
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