This stunningly beautiful portrait photograph of Zeenat Aman (on left) was taken at Hamilton Studios (Ballard Estate, Mumbai) in 1968. She was 17 or 18 years at the time.
Later, Zeenat Aman made her modelling debut in a Nirlon India calendar shot by Hamilton Studios.
Found this image at an article about Hamiltion Studios in Man's World magazine. Do check it out to see some more vintage and rare stuff from the Studio.
Surprisingly, I found the image using MSN's Bing Image Search, Google Image search had nothing on it. That's a good enough reason for me to try Bing more often.
More information about the photograph was offered by an article from Times of India.
"One day Mrs Karvaste - he did not call herself Mrs. Aman - drove up to the studio in a Mercedes Benz and asked me to take a picture of her daughter for marriage,'' says [Ranjit] Madhavji [owner of the studio]. "When I saw how pretty Zeenat was, I suggested that her mother allow her to model for Khatau Mills which belonged to my uncle. But she brushed away the idea completely.'' [read more from TOI]
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Gosh, she was pretty! Madhavji's done a great job photographing her, but there was something to the Zeenie-Baby phenomenon too. Back in the days when heroines were sati-savitris to the manner born, she was such an icon for westward-looking youngsters. I remember her ads from Mum's Feminas & Filmfares!
Great post, as always.
Yes,Zeenie-Baby was a revolution! Back in those day only vamps and were supposed to be looking west.
Sample this: In Sawan Bhadon (1970), Jayshree T, plays hippy kid sister who needs an immediate Indian culture cure to foreign returned (but Indian at heart) hero Navin Nischol, while 'is-that-baby-fat' young Rekha (it was her first hindi film) plays a bash but simple village belle.
Zeenat Aman changed all that but slowly. Remember, in Hare Rama Hare Krishna(1971) she plays a sad lonely girl going down the wrong path (that usually starts at west and ends in hell) while Mumtaz (who later burnt up screen with Feroz Khan in year 1972 no-brainer fun film Apradh) plays the brash but simple village belle. Dev Anand's muse at the time, Zaheeda (seen in his Prem Pujari(1970) was offered the sister role but she wanted to be the lead. So young and eager Zeenat got the role and rest is history.