MUMBAI: Veteran actress Zeenat Aman has recently been in the news for reasons not very comfortably discussed. She has been criticised and accused for encouraging the youth to engage in live-in relationships, a concept which is not widely accepted in India. Somy Ali, who runs an NGO called No More Tears in the US, takes a stand for her.

“I would like to say that the condemnation of Zeenat ji is beyond absurd. I didn’t realize we were back in the 1900’s where women didn’t have a voice and Indian women weren’t allowed to vote till 1947. From my personal and professional experience, what my friend, the legendary actress Zeenat Ji has said, it’s important for couples to truly know each other and how compatible they are, and enforce boundaries like ‘no means no!’ Unfortunately I have seen that from NMT and personal experiences many men don’t know how to take no as an answer, as it means rejection for their egos,” she says.

She adds that live-in relationships are the best way to understand if a couple is meant to be together. “I have immense respect for our culture, but I also have an education and a brain. Our world’s population is over 8 billion and growing. What Zeenat has suggested is the best thing for both men and women be it gauging compatibility and divorce rates. Setting boundaries which is where I come in with my NGO where NO means NO! How is any of this wrong? In fact, it saves heartaches prior to marriage and brings down divorce rates, not to mention our population,” she says.

She adds, “How are we even focusing on this as being negative while it’s the best advice I have heard and followed it myself with my ex-boyfriend in India back in the 90’s. Boy did that save my life from making the biggest decision of my life. While I respect the naysayers, I have respect for Zeenat and those who support her views. I don’t think people understand how beyond her times she was while she was an icon and still remains to be one. She is perhaps the most educated woman and the most intellectual actor in that whole industry. To condemn her depicts how far we are even in 2024 when it comes to education and intellect. She is my role model and always will be. I look up to her and have the utmost respect for her. Also living together will resolve the issue of domestic violence which I have been fighting against for 17 years with my NGO. Be it a girl or a man, domestic violence impacts everyone and what better way to end a relationship before marriage or having children that either of the couple are abusive towards one another. Kudos to Zeenat and for the people disrespecting an icon who have an IQ of an ant. Grow up for the love of God.”