ZEENAT ON DANCING HER OWN WAY IN ‘THE GREAT GAMBLER’

The veteran actor revisits a favourite song from the 1979 classic, sharing candid memories of confidence, style and cinematic flair

Legendary actor Zeenat Aman recently took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, recalling her experience filming the song Oh Diwano Dil Samhalo from the 1979 film The Great Gambler alongside Amitabh Bachchan.

In a recent Instagram post, Aman shared a video clip from the song and spoke candidly about her early days in cinema. She admitted that, unlike many of her contemporaries, she had never received formal dance training and therefore never considered herself a confident dancer.

“I wasn’t a very confident dancer as I never had formal training unlike most actresses of the time,” Aman shared. However, she added that directors soon realised she could still carry a song with her natural rhythm and screen presence. Rather than pushing her into complex choreography, many chose to let her simply “groove” in her own style.

Walking down the memory lane with Zeenat...

The song, sung by legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle, remains one of Aman’s personal favourites. While Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani from the same film became the more widely loved track, Aman revealed that Oh Diwano Dil Samhalo stood out to her for its bold characterisation.

According to the actor, the song captures “the confidence and sass of a woman who knows her desirability,” setting it apart from the softer romantic tone typical of many songs of that era.

Zeenat also reminisced about the elaborate styling involved in the sequence, which featured three costume changes. Among them, she particularly recalled a shimmering gold track-pant ensemble — an outfit she described as delightfully over the top. Paired with a short pageboy wig and energetic high-kick choreography suggested by the dance master, the look added a playful flamboyance to the performance.

Directed by Shakti Samanta with music composed by R. D. Burman, The Great Gambler revolved around Bachchan’s dual roles as Jai, an expert gambler working for an underworld don, and Vijay, a CID inspector. Zeenat Aman portrayed Shabnam, a character who falls for Jai.

The film also featured an ensemble cast including Neetu Singh, Prem Chopra, Utpal Dutt, Madan Puri, Helen and Iftekhar.

Even decades later, Aman’s reflections highlight how personality, confidence and individuality often shape the most memorable moments in cinema — sometimes more than technical perfection.