Zeenat Aman has openly talked about her relationship with Sanjay Khan and the abuse she suffered. At the same time, there were many stars who dreamed of marrying her but ended up having their hearts broken.
One of those stars was Dev Anand, the actor who gave Zeenat her big break and made her an overnight sensation. At the time, Dev was 47 and Zeenat was just 20 when they worked together. By the time she signed Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978), Dev had developed feelings for her and wanted to confess his love in a romantic setting. However, his plans were ruined when he saw Zeenat interacting with Raj Kapoor at an event they both attended.
In his 2007 autobiography, Romancing with Life, Dev Anand wrote, “Suddenly, one day I felt I was desperately in love with Zeenat… And wanted to say to her! To make an honest confession, at a very special, exclusive place meant for romance. I chose the Rendezvous at the Taj, on top of the city, where we had dined together once earlier.”
After the premiere of Ishk Ishk Ishk at Metro Cinema, Raj Kapoor publicly kissed Zeenat to congratulate her on her outstanding performance in the film. While this undoubtedly made her evening even more special, Dev Anand admitted feeling jealous of Raj for making advances toward someone he considered his discovery and leading lady.
He further mentioned that the situation felt too familiar, and the way Zeenat returned Raj Kapoor’s embrace seemed more than just polite. Dev Anand also hinted that Raj Kapoor expressed disappointment in Zeenat for not keeping her promise to always wear a white saree when accompanying him.
Dev Anand described how Zeenat’s expression showed clear embarrassment, and she no longer felt the same to him. His heart broke, and the special rendezvous he had planned lost all significance. Feeling crushed, he quietly left the place.
The veteran actress has addressed these claims multiple times, denying any romantic relationship with Raj Kapoor. A few years ago, during an event by Algebra Conversations, she expressed her respect for Dev Anand, acknowledging that he was the reason she became a movie star. However, she noted that his perspective of the evening was entirely different from hers.
She further explained that she had worked on several films with Dev Anand, who saw her as his protege. At the time, she was also working with Raj Kapoor, and he had mentioned he would be at a certain place. Since Dev Anand was also there, Zeenat went over to greet Raj Kapoor, as he was her co-star and she aspired to work in his films.
The actress went on to say that she didn’t know what Dev Anand took from that moment, as it felt strange to her. She admitted that she had no idea he was going to express his feelings for her or tell her that he was in love with her and wanted to marry her. She was completely unaware.
