When Zeenat Aman -like name is associated with a project, expectations increase automatically. In the 70s, the synonym of glamor and grace, their legacy resonates with generations of fans. To look back on screen amid high expectations from fans, this desire came true with the presence of icon in Netflix’s ‘The Royals’. While the show blows the bright scenes and a contingent of a huge artists, the handling of the character of Zeenat Aman leaves a lot to be desired, ultimately, an opportunity of a mistake that performs gender with disappointment.

At a time when experienced actors are finally being given layered, powerful roles on streaming platforms, it is heartbreaking to see the icon ruined in such a specified part. While the actor was ready to carry the weight of his own crown, it seems that the script just refused to leave him.

While Bhumi Pednekar and Ishaan Khat in the show The 1970s screen siren Zeenat Aman’s return, Regency, Power Play, and a compelling mix of nostalgia was promised, converting those high expectations into dust. His role was not just less, it was incompetently condemnable.

Experienced actors as Maji Maji Sahiba of the royal family have been caught in the storm of the politics of the palace and the modern day scams. Given his mythological aura and emotional gravitational and anchoring the conspiracy, Maji Sahba should have been the backbone of the show.

Instead, Aman is reduced to a glorious cameo, where she mostly sees smokers, distributes each one-liners or is largely neglected with her appearance in the story.

With the successful return of their contemporaries, expectations were naturally higher. Neetu Kapoor made a remarkable comeback with Saif Ali Khan’s ‘Love Aaj Kaal’ (2009), followed by his acclaimed performance in ‘Do Doni Char’ (2010) with Rishi Kapoor, which was widely praised for his staining performance. Similarly, Farida Jalal’s return to ‘Hiramandi’ earned widespread praise.

And who could forget the embellished return in Sharmila Tagore’s ‘Gulmohar’, a role that helped the show bag in many awards? With such strong returns by the Yesteeryear icon, fans hope that these legends will choose scripts that actually judge to their legacy.

Zeenat Aman’s casting in ‘The Royals’ looked like a strategic move to bring reputation and discussion in the series rather than a real creative decision. By adding his name to a celeb roll call in the series, the manufacturers would have expected to add more weightage to the story, but it failed to match the hopes of the fans.

The base of the chain was mature to a strong maternalist figure to anchor emotional and political stresses. The Zeenat could tear and portray a queen amidst loyalty to tradition and moral ambiguity of his family’s secrets. However, none of this happened. Instead, his character was reduced to only decorative value.

One of the scenes where the entire royal clan crashes and their palace is being sealed, zeenat, head where its commanding appearance can deepen the effect of the show, curiosity is eagerly sidelined. She is sitting in her room, smoking weeds and is not ready to leave her palace. His ability as a malignant player on the Royal Chaseboard is mostly unexplained.

Therefore, we can clearly say that despite the cinematic talent for decades, from ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ to ‘Don’, the legend is offered to the mythical actor minimal communication and scant screen time.