Zeenat Khan (born 19 November 1951), better known as Zeenat Aman, is an Indian actress and former fashion model. She first received recognition for her modelling work, and at the age of 19, went on to participate in beauty pageants, winning both the Femina Miss India pageant and the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant in 1970. She began acting in 1970, and her early works included the films The Evil Within (1970) and Hulchul (1971). Aman's breakthrough came with the film Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), for which she won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award and the BFJA Award for Best Actress. She next acted in the film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), for which she received further recognition.
Aman established herself as a leading actress in the seventies with prominent roles in Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974), Ajanabee (1974), Warrant (1975), Chori Mera Kaam (1975), Dharam Veer (1977), Chhailla Babu (1977), Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977), and The Great Gambler (1979). For her role in the 1978 film Satyam Shivam Sundaram, she was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She also acted in Don (1978), a film which spawned the Don franchise. In the early 1980s, she had leading roles in Abdullah (1980), Alibaba Aur 40 Chor (1980), Qurbani (1980), Dostana (1980), and Insaf Ka Tarazu (1980), the latter of which Aman received another nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She continued acting in films throughout the 1980s, having roles in the films Laawaris (1981), Mahaan (1983), Pukar (1983), Jagir (1984), and also had roles in the films Teesri Aankh (1982), Hum Se Hai Zamana (1983).
Following her marriage to actor Mazhar Khan in 1985, Aman began appearing less frequently in films and took a hiatus in 1989, her last film for that period being Gawaahi (1989). In 1999, Aman made a comeback to acting, appearing in the film Bhopal Express; she did not continue acting until 2003, appearing in the film Boom, and has since had roles in various independent films, including Ugly Aur Pagli (2008), Dunno Y... Na Jaane Kyon (2010), Chaurahen (2012), Strings of Passion (2014), Dunno Y2... Life Is a Moment (2015), Dil Toh Deewana Hai (2016), and Sallu Ki Shaadi (2017). She also made a cameo in Panipat (2019), and will next appear in a starring role in the upcoming film Margaon: The Closed File (TBA), her first leading role since the 1980s.
Aside from acting, Aman made her theatre debut in 2004, appearing in the play The Graduate in Mumbai, and in 2020 it was announced she will appear in a play based on Kasturba Gandhi. She also led the 2017 web series Love Life & Screw Ups, for which she was praised. Her personal life and experiences with abuse have received extensive media coverage.
