Silver Wisdom: We Can't Stop Appreciating Zeenat Aman's Unfiltered Instagram Avatar

Zeenat Aman made an Instagram debut! Yes, it is old news but equally refreshing. Why? The diva and sex symbol of Hindi Cinema is too real on Instagram that it leaves us scratching our heads because it is not easy today to be yourself in the world of trolling and fake identities.

I remember veteran actor Aman for her dynamic role in the movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram. She played the role of a woman with a scarred face that she hides from the lead actor who falls in love with her. The film received a lot of criticism for sexualising Aman's body. The film was attacked for being obscene for portraying a woman racy. Even veteran actor Dev Anand called the film dirty. But Aman found all the criticism amusing and didn't flinch away from representing the character. Despite the criticism and hatred that the movie received, she made sure that it reaches our hearts.

Similarly, today when celebrities are always the targets of hatred and trolls, it is inspiring to see Aman being outspoken on hushed topics. For example, she made a beautiful statement on ageing when she wrote, “I really don’t care to buttress our society’s idolisation of youth. Being young is wonderful, but so is being old. It thrills me to see more and more silver-haired women (of all ages) challenge the status quo.”

Moreover, she also spoke about the general hatred towards obscenity in our society. Posting a picture from her 1977 movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram, the actor questions society’s perception towards what it calls ‘obscene’. She writes “I did not and do not find anything obscene about the human body.”

Zeenat Aman unfiltered on Instagram

What makes Zeenat Aman so influential? Why is her attitude so intimidating that we end up admiring her as the embodiment of courage? Isn’t Aman fearful of the trolls? In fact, Should it really require courage to be real in this society?

Social media gives us freedom but it also restricts it. It makes freedom conditioned because of various aspects. If you try to be real on social media by expressing your views on various topics, especially those that are seditious, you have to possess the courage to face the trolls. Even if you try to argue with the people trolling you, you need to be ready to face abusive and threatening messages. Many times, the hatred on social media lands celebrities in trouble in the real world too. Trolls step out from the screens into the ground and make it difficult for celebrities to live in peace. Why? Just because they tried to be unfiltered and outspoken.

A recent case of social media being evil is of the rape threats given to MS Dhoni’s daughter. A troll threatened to rape his daughter because MS Dhoni lost a match in IPL. Moreover, when Virat Kohli decided to take paternity leave, he was trolled for not caring about the nation. In fact, each time Kohli performs badly, he and his wife Anushka Sharma are trolled. Kohli is accused of being too indulged in marriage to focus on the match. While Sharma is blamed for not letting her husband focus on his career.

These are the cases in which celebrities were attacked even when they did not really post anything controversial on the internet. But imagine if they did, how would the trolls react to it? Some of the most outspoken celebrities I admire are Swara Bhaskar, Richa Chaddha and even Kangana Ranaut. I know Ranaut’s views are very controversial, and sometimes biased too, but it cannot be ignored that she dares to be real in the fake social media world.

Hence, it is inspiring and admirable to see Zeenat Aman's approach on social media. In a world where even photos are filtered, it is difficult to find people who are true and worthy of trust. I myself have faced trolls for being outspoken and have also encountered fake people. But Aman’s courage has shown me the light in the dark to not be discouraged to speak. And I believe, to you too.

Views expressed are the author's own.

Suggested Reading: Zeenat Aman Debuts On Instagram, Shares Thoughtful Notions On ‘Ageing’