Veteran actress Zeenat Aman revealed in New Delhi on Wednesday that she has a lesser-known Hindu name, Laliteshwari, and said she does not identify as a religious person despite being raised in a family shaped by multiple faiths and cultures.
Speaking at the Amrit Ratna 2026 summit, the actor shared details about her family background and personal beliefs, explaining that her mother, Vardhini, was a deeply religious Hindu woman while her father was Muslim.
“My name from my father’s side is Zeenat Aman, but from my mother’s side, my name is Laliteshwari,” she said. “My mother’s name was Vardhini. She was a deeply religious Hindu woman who would spend two to three hours every day performing puja, and I was largely raised by her.”
When asked whether she considers herself religious, Aman replied that she does not.
“I am not religious because I have seen things very closely,” she said. “My mother was Hindu, my father was Muslim, and the father of my children is also Muslim. I studied in a Catholic school, and my stepfather is German, so I was exposed to a very global way of life.”
She added that these experiences meant she never felt compelled to follow a particular faith.
“All religions are good; no religion teaches you to do anything wrong. I believe in humanity, kindness, peace, equality, and love for people and animals. That is my religion,” she said.
Zeenat Aman first rose to prominence after winning the Femina Miss India and Miss Asia Pacific International titles in 1970. She began her acting career the same year with ‘The Evil Within’ and achieved a breakthrough with ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ in 1971.
She went on to become one of the defining stars of 1970s Hindi cinema, appearing in films including ‘Yaadon Ki Baaraat’, ‘Roti Kapda Aur Makaan’, ‘Dharam Veer’ and ‘Don’. During the 1980s, she continued to feature in successful productions such as ‘Laawaris’ and ‘Pukar’.
After ‘Gawaahi’ in 1989, Aman stepped away from films to focus on her personal life. Widely regarded as a style icon, she most recently appeared in the 2025 series ‘The Royals’ and is next set to star in ‘Bun Tikki’, directed by Faraz Arif Ansari and produced by Manish Malhotra’s Stage5 Productions.
