Zeenat Aman responds to Satyam Shivam Sundaram controversy: 'Nothing obscene about human body'

Yesteryear Indian actress and sex symbol Zeenat Khan has opened up about the allegations of obscenity against her 1978 film Satyam Shivam Sundaram. Directed by Raj Kapoor, the film was a romantic drama that explored the themes of inner beauty, love, and self-acceptance. The story followed Rupa (Aman), a young woman who isconsidered unattractive due to a burn scar on her face. She falls in love with a wealthy man named Rajeev (Shashi Kapoor), but he is initially repulsed by her appearance. As the story progresses, Rajeev begins to see beyond Rupa's physical imperfections and falls in love with her.

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The film faced controversy and legal challenges at the time of its release due to its candid portrayal of sensuality and sexuality, something which was rare in Indian films being released in that era. It was also praised by many, sometimes for the same reasons, and is now widely regarded as a path-breaking film.

Sharing a photo of herself from the sets of the movie, Aman wrote, "This picture was taken by photographer J P Singhal during a look test for Satyam Shivam Sundaram around 1977. We shot the series at R K Studios, and my costumes were designed by Oscar winner Bhanu Athaiya."

She added, "Anyone acquainted with the history of Bollywood will know that there was much controversy and brouhaha about my character Rupa in Satyam Shivam Sundaram. I was always quite amused by the accusations of obscenity as I did not and do not find anything obscene about the human body. I am a director’s actor and these looks were part of my job. Rupa’s sensuality was not the crux of the plot, but a part of it. As it is, the set is not even remotely a sensual space. Every move is choreographed, rehearsed and performed in front of dozens of crew members."

She went on to say that director Kapoor was "concerned about my “western” image. He was unsure whether the audience would accept me in this avatar, and so conducted this look test. Later, on the basis of this test, we shot a small reel picturised on Lata ji’s famous song ‘Jaago Mohan Pyare’ from the 1956 film Jagte Raho. Rajji held a screening of the reel at R K Studios to gauge the response of his distributors to me in this role. After that first screening, the rights for all territories were immediately sold."

The film's title is derived from a famous Sanskrit saying that translates to "Truth is God and God is Beautiful." The film is known for its melodious music and compelling performances by its lead actors.

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