Mumbai, June 18 -- Zeenat Aman has always been one of Bollywood's most fearless voices, both on screen and off it. From redefining the image of the Hindi film heroine in the 70s and 80s to speaking openly about identity, ageing and society today, the veteran actress continues to stay relevant across generations.

At News18 India's Amrit Ratna 2026 ceremony, Zeenat opened up about her name, religion and upbringing. She revealed that while Zeenat Aman came from her father's side, her name from her mother's side was Laliteshwari. Her mother, Vardhini, was a deeply religious Hindu woman, while her father was Muslim.

The actress also shared that she studied in a Catholic school and had a German stepfather, which exposed her to different cultu...