Turning back the clock to the golden era of Bollywood, day two of Goafest saw a fireside chat with the yesteryear screen legend and current Instagram rage, Zeenat Aman.

Moderated by RJ Anmol, the session saw the effervescent Aman emphasise the importance of adaptability in navigating life's challenges, while  graciously acknowledging and owning her Instagram presence in an ever-changing digital age.

Aman embarked into the world of glamour by bringing home the Miss Asia Pacific crown in 1970, becoming the first Indian and South Asian woman to win the title in the process.

The veteran actor shared tips on building confidence while overcoming mental health issues and ‘imposter syndrome’ in the entertainment and creative world.

Acing the social media game

Aman also reflected on her successful transition from a silver screen heroine to social media influencer, having made her Instagram debut just a year back at 71. 

Having being thrust into the limelight during her heyday, she was initially sceptical of giving up her carefully nurtured privacy of the last several years as a single mom, revealed the actor. 

On reinventing herself online and breaking every ageist stereotype in the process, she said, “I was quite overwhelmed by the response I received on social media; it was unexpected and fabulous!" 

As of last year, the actor whose Instagram bio reads ‘Actor. Mother. Maverick’, had achieved an engagement rate of 16.6%, surpassing actors like Jennifer Aniston and Kareena Kapoor Khan, divulged RJ Anmol.  

Aman highlighted the importance of authenticity, honesty and being forthcoming on social media. Credited with having turned ‘Instagram success mantras’ on their head with her lengthy captioned posts describing anecdotes from her multifaceted life and career, Aman emphasised on her need for being authentic and mindful about the content she posts online. 

“It is all organic. I know a picture speaks 1,000 words but it's always interesting when you have a story that goes with it. Something that's real, something that's true,” she stated, adding, “Personally, it's really important to be as honest and as forthcoming as I can. And I think people like to listen to those little captions and stories.”

The new-age brands queen

She also spotlighted the significance of being selective with brand collaborations. “I really do believe that. My aim to being on Instagram is to share, rather than to propagate. So I like to space it out and be careful about which brands I do associate with because I think it makes a lot of difference.”

Having associated with brands in her prime like Taj Tea and Bombay Dyeing, she has reached a point today where she’s slaying the brand endorsement game, giving stars half her age a run for their money with new-age brands like Cred, Oppo, Nykaa, Forest Essentials, and Schweppes, to name a few.

Aman expressed amazement at the number of endorsement offers coming her way in recent times. “The frequency of collaborating offers are so frenetic and rushed, it’s unbelievable. There are a whole lot of them on a daily basis of which I consider maybe one or two in a month because it becomes impossible to participate in everything that comes your way,” she explained.

What’s the X factor, or rather the ‘Z factor’, she brings to the table- be it movies, brands or social media for that matter, Anmol asked.

“Belief in myself, and always wanting to do better. When I set out to do something I give it my 100%," she responded, adding, "When you are selling a product you do what's required, whether it’s Taj Tea or Bombay Dyeing then or even now. I was a model before I became an actor, so doing ads comes quite naturally to me.” 

Down memory lane

The actor treated the audience to instances from her eventful life journey, relating her experiences from the silver screen. The duo discussed her choice of roles- from her debut in the offbeat role of a ‘hippie’ to donning the character of a village damsel whose face is partially scarred in a fire.

Recalling the time, Aman revealed that no mainstream heroine was willing to play Dev Anand’s sister in a movie, which eventually became her debut into the Hindi film industry. The movie, ‘Hare Rama, Hare Krishna’, went on to achieve cult status, and so did her role. 

She also narrated how she bagged the other film ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ only due to her 'perseverance and ardour'. “I was working with Raj Kapoor on another movie when he mentioned this role, and I became absolutely fascinated with it,” she divulged.

On what she lacked when she started out in her career, versus what she has gained today, Aman answered, “Wisdom and experience,” adding a cryptic advice to her younger self on the importance of 'nurturing genuine relationships'.

The diva highlighted the value of perseverance and adaptability through all stages of life in order to thrive in an ever-changing world. “Roll with the punches; keep yourself physically and mentally fit. There may be many difficult phases but you just got to persevere through it because it’ll not last forever,” she signed off.