18th June 2023,Mumbai: In a heartfelt Instagram post on Father’s Day, renowned actress Zeenat Aman takes a nostalgic stroll down memory lane, sharing poignant tales of her parents’ lives. Zeenat’s parents, Vardhini Scindia and Amanullah Khan, had a unique journey that involved courtship, marriage, and eventually, separation. Alongside her reminiscence, Zeenat unveils her plan to translate and publish a collection of her father’s remarkable Urdu poetry.
Zeenat Aman lovingly recollects how she inherited her last name, Aman, from her father. To illuminate her story, she posts a childhood snapshot on Instagram, featuring Amanullah Khan and a family member posing next to a painted boat in a photo studio. Zeenat affectionately describes the photo, emphasizing her position in front of her father. She reveals that Amanullah Khan descended from royalty, being the son of His Highness Nawab Hamidullah Khan, the previous monarch of the state of Bhopal, and Akhtar Jahan Begum, his mother and first cousin.
According to Zeenat, her father, fondly called Aman Sahab, grew up in Bhopal in the company of his seven siblings, enjoying a tranquil life. As Amanullah Khan matured, he ventured to Mumbai accompanied by his cousin Al Nasir, hoping to find fame and fortune in the Hindi film industry. It was at a social gathering in the city where fate brought Aman Sahab and Vardhini Scindia together. Despite the disapproval from both families due to their contrasting religious backgrounds—Amanullah coming from a staunch Muslim family and Vardhini being a devoted Hindu—the couple’s connection deepened swiftly, leading to a quick engagement.
After a brief stint in acting, Aman Sahab pursued writing and left a lasting impact with his work on the script and dialogue for iconic films like “Pakeezah” and “Mughal-E-Azam.” Zeenat laments that despite his immense talent and reputation, her father never received the recognition he truly deserved. She muses that perhaps authors are often overlooked in the limelight.
Zeenat then opens up about the aftermath of her parents’ separation, revealing that they made the difficult decision to part ways a few years after her birth. While her mother took her In, her father moved to a grand mansion on Mount Mary Hill in Bandra. Zeenat cherishes the memories of the quality time she spent with her father during their long walks, where he would treat her to ice cream and read her Urdu poems, some of which he had written exclusively for her. He would also send touching notes in English to Zeenat and her mother.
“These are just a few of my memories of my father,” concludes Zeenat, with a touch of melancholy. Amanullah Khan passed away when she was still in school, leaving a void that she wished she had more time to fill, getting to know him as an adult rather than through the eyes of a child. One of her most treasured possessions is her father’s book of Urdu poetry, which she hopes to translate and publish in the future. As Zeenat embraces her father’s name, she commemorates Father’s Day by honoring Amanullah Khan’s legacy and the lasting impact he had on her life.
-by Kashvi Gala