'Yeh Kabhi Hero Banega?': When Zeenat Aman Broke Mithun Chakraborty 'B-Grade Jinx'

Mithun Chakraborty's career in the Hindi film industry has not an easy ride despite receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his outstanding contributions to Indian cinema. Early in his career, the actor encountered numerous rejections. So much so that until Zeenat Aman broke the 'jinx', no actress was willing to collaborate with him.

Over the years, Mithun Chakraborty has consistently expressed his gratitude to Zeenat Aman for altering the trajectory of his career. In 2023, the veteran actor discussed the emotional toll of those years on Zee TV's Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, crediting her.

Mithun Chakraborty Said Zeenat Aman Broke His 'B-Grade Jinx'

Mithun Chakraborty recalled, "Kitni ladaai ek insaan lad sakta hai. They thought I was a 'chota star'. 'Yeh kabhi kya hero banega?' I don't even want to say it. Phir dard hota hai."

Mithun Chakraborty went on to say that actresses would occasionally leave movies even after they were announced, which made him wonder if he would ever go beyond 'B-grade' movies.

Mithun Chakraborty shared, "There was a time when I thought I wouldn't transition from B-grade films to A-grade films. There were times when the actresses walked out even after the film was announced. There was pressure, and other actors were insecure that I would make it big someday. So they may have warned those heroines, 'Iske saath kaam karogi toh hamare saath kaam nahin kar sakti'."

Mithun Chakraborty hailed Zeenat Aman for shifting the perception of his job and explained how her encouragement inspired other professionals to do the same.

The actor known for movies like The Kashmir Files, Oh My God, Golmaal 3, and others, revealed, "Zeenat ji said, 'What a good-looking man he is!' I will do the film with him. It was Zeenat ji who broke the jinx. Zeenat ji had a status of the number 1 heroine of that time, so following her footsteps, every other actress started saying yes to the films that I worked in. With Taqdeer's release, I became an A-category actor."

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Mithun Chakraborty And Zeenat Aman Movies

Mithun Chakraborty and Zeenat Aman collaborated in the 1983 movie Taqdeer, which also starred Shatrughan Sinha. The movie was a box office success.

Additionally, Mithun Chakraborty and Zeenat Aman worked together on films like Hum Se Hai Zamana (1983) and Yaadon Ki Kasam (1985). Additionally, they appeared together on cinema in Baat Ban Jaye (1986) and Teen Murti (1984).

With his breakthrough performance in Disco Dancer solidifying his position in Hindi cinema, Mithun Chakraborty went on to become one of Bollywood's most beloved stars. From sleeping outside hotels and in public parks to becoming a Bollywood icon, his career was characterized by resiliency and perseverance.