A One-Sided Love Bollywood Could Never Forget: The Story That Was Never Told
The Dev Anand Zeenat Aman love story remains one of Bollywood’s most unspoken yet unforgettable one-sided romances…
The Real-Life Love Story of Dev Anand and Zeenat Aman
Zeenat Aman was not just a beauty queen—she was a force. After winning Miss AsiaPacific, she redefined what glamour meant in Indian cinema. Zeenat’s bold, Westernized aura made her one of the highest-paid actresses of her era, second only to Hema Malini in terms of stardom during the 1970s. She was frequently cited in the media as a sex symbol—not just for her looks, but for the fearless, groundbreaking presence she brought to Indian cinema.
On the other hand, Dev Anand was more than just a film star. He was cinema’s eternal romantic—a gentleman with a poetic soul and unmatched charisma. As an actor, director, producer, and writer, Dev Anand’s legacy stood proudly even among the industry’s titans.
During the early 70s, Dev Anand had been searching for over six months for a fresh face to play a bold, hippie-inspired character in Hare Rama Hare Krishna. The role demanded someone who could match the rebellious theme of the film, and he was struggling to find that perfect fit.
Then one evening at a party, fate stepped in. A confident young woman walked up to him, pulled out a cigarette, lit it for him, and offered it—all without hesitation. That woman was Zeenat Aman. In that one effortless, unapologetic move, Dev Anand saw the exact spark he had been looking for. He immediately offered her a screen test for Hare Rama Hare Krishna, which Zeenat accepted without hesitation.
In an interview, Dev Anand later said,
“Zeenat Aman is a very cooperative actor.”
Although most people believe Hare Rama Hare Krishna was their first screen appearance together, the truth is they had already shared the screen once before in a 1970 Hollywood film, The Evil Within. But it was this new collaboration that truly brought them closer, both professionally and emotionally. During filming, Dev silently fell in love with Zeenat. Her boldness, her grace, her fearlessness—everything about her captivated him. He even planned to propose. But destiny had other plans.
At the premiere party of Ishq Ishq Ishq, Dev Anand witnessed something that shattered his quiet dreams. Raj Kapoor greeted Zeenat in a way that felt far too personal—a hug, a kiss, a closeness that turned Dev’s silent hopes into heartbreak. Still, he stayed quiet.
Dev Anand wanted to make Zeenat feel exceptional. He had already arranged a graceful proposal and secured a private dinner for her at the Taj Mahal Hotel—everything was in place. However, before dinner, there was another large industry party where things took a turn.
At that gathering, Dev saw Zeenat and Raj Kapoor again—this time even closer, more familiar. That night marked the end of his dream. He quietly cancelled the dinner, walked away… and never brought it up again.
Just days later, Zeenat Aman appeared as the lead in Raj Kapoor’s Satyam Shivam Sundaram—and rumors of their growing closeness quickly became front-page gossip.
Years later, in 2007, when Dev Anand’s autobiography, Romancing with Life, was published, he openly wrote about his love for Zeenat Aman—and also hinted at her closeness with Raj Kapoor as the reason for his heartbreak.
But Zeenat had no idea he felt that way.
In a heartfelt Instagram post decades later, she clarified,
“I was completely unaware that Dev Saab was simultaneously misreading the situation.”
She admitted feeling “humiliated, hurt, and disconcerted” that her mentor—someone she loved and admired platonically—had misunderstood her intentions and even published it for the world to read.
“This episode embarrassed me deeply,” she said.
“The copy of his autobiography that was sent to me… I quietly stored it in the basement—far from sight, far from thought.”
And just like that, what could’ve been a timeless love story remained buried in silence, in misunderstanding, and in two very different versions of the truth.
