Veteran actor Mumtaz recently offered an unfiltered perspective on the idea of stardom in Bollywood, drawing a distinction between popularity and acting ability.
Speaking in an interview with Vickey Lalwani, she stood by her earlier comments about Sanjeev Kumar and also made a strong remark about Zeenat Aman.
© Instagram/Zeenat Aman
Clarifying her stance, Mumtaz said she never questioned Sanjeev Kumar’s talent, but maintained that he didn’t fit her definition of a ‘star.’ She explained, “What did I say wrong? I’m not denying he was an excellent actor. There’s a world of difference between being a star and being an actor. Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor, these were all stars. Sanjeev Kumar did character roles and even supporting roles. He was a very good human being, very well-mannered, but there is a difference between a star and an actor. You said he was a very big star, and I responded that he was not a very big star. He was a good actor, but I consider people like Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and the top heroes as big stars.”
© Instagram/Zeenat Aman
She further emphasised that the term ‘star’ is often used too casually in the industry today. In the same conversation, Mumtaz also shared her candid opinion on Zeenat Aman’s acting abilities, stating, “Zeenat Aman, okay. Zeenat Aman was not a very good actress, sorry to say, I would say sorry to her as well. How many awards did she get? If you call everyone a star, how will that work? Not everyone is a star. Not everyone can be a star; not everyone can be Dilip Kumar. It takes years to become a star, you lose your hair by the time you get there. Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Nargis, Rekha, these were the real stars among heroines.”
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Mumtaz began her journey in films at just 11 years old with Lajwanti. Early in her career, she found herself confined to action-oriented roles in films like Faulad and Daku Mangal Singh, which limited her growth as a performer. Her fortunes changed in 1969 with Do Raaste, which marked her breakthrough. From there, she quickly rose to prominence, headlining successful films such as Bandhan, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Sachaa Jhutha, Khilona, and Hare Rama Hare Krishna. She remained a leading star through the 1970s before her final screen appearance in Aandhiyan.
Meanwhile, Zeenat Aman entered the spotlight after winning both Femina Miss India and Miss Asia Pacific International in 1970. She stepped into films the same year with The Evil Within, but gained widespread recognition with Hare Rama Hare Krishna.
Through the 1970s, she became one of the most prominent faces of Hindi cinema with hits like Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Dharam Veer, and Don. She continued working through the 1980s with films such as Laawaris and Pukar, before stepping away from the industry after Gawaahi to focus on her personal life. Known for redefining glamour and emerging as one of Bollywood’s early style icons, she most recently appeared in the 2025 series The Royals on Netflix.
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