When Zeenat Aman revealed her troubled marriage with Mazhar Khan: 'I realised I had made a huge mistake...'

Zeenat Aman dominated Indian cinema in the '70s and '80s with her captivating on-screen presence. Despite facing challenges in her personal life, her iconic roles in films like 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram', 'Don', and 'Yaadon Ki Baarat' continue to leave a lasting impression on audiences. Her glamorous persona and performances have cemented her status as a legendary Bollywood diva.

Zeenat married Mazhar Khan in 1985, but they had a troubled marital life for a decade. In 1998, Mazhar died after suffering from severe kidney failure. The actress once spoke openly about her private life, revealing how unfortunate she felt her marriage was.

Zeenat once appeared on Simi Garewal's show, Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, where she discussed her marriage. She said her mother opposed her marrying Mazhar Khan, but she went ahead with it anyway.

The actress said, "My biological clock was ticking and I wanted to be a mother. I wanted to raise a family and now I think Mazhar just happened to be there at the right time. Mazhar never wanted me to grow as an individual or as an artist. He always wanted me to be with the kids and be at home. During the very first year of marriage I realised I had made a huge mistake, but I decided to live by it and make it work. I tried to make it work for another 12 years. There was no light at the end of the tunnel for me. There was not a single moment of happiness or joy during those 12 years. But I still tried making it work."

In 1993, Mazhar was diagnosed with a serious pancreatic illness. The actress spent most of her time caring for him and fighting against the odds. She said, "93-97 was a continuous battle for me. I literally lived with him in the hospital all these years. From learning how to give injections to how to do the dressing, I did everything in my capacity single-handedly. I looked after my children, I looked after my husband but there was no one to look after me. I am sure no other woman would have lasted in my situation for too long. But I held onto Mazhar. When the doctors in India gave up I took him to the best doctors abroad, and finally in 1997 he was allowed to go home. These 5 years I did not see day and night."