Zeenat Aman recalls shooting ‘Samundar Mein Naha Ke’ with Amitabh Bachchan after his Coolie accident: “Atmosphere on set was particularly buoyant”

April 4, 2025 - 12:53 PM IST

Veteran actress Zeenat Aman has again delighted her Instagram followers by sharing a nostalgic memory from her illustrious career. This time, the actress took a trip down memory lane, recalling her experience shooting the hit song ‘Samundar Mein Naha Ke’ from the 1983 film Pukar alongside Amitabh Bachchan. Sharing a snippet from the song, Aman humorously remarked on the sweltering summer heat, playfully adding that her onscreen romance with Bachchan was just as sizzling. The actress also revealed an interesting tidbit—this was the first shoot Amitabh Bachchan undertook after surviving a near-fatal accident on the sets of Coolie in 1982.

Zeenat Aman recalls shooting ‘Samundar Mein Naha Ke’ with Amitabh Bachchan after his Coolie accident: “Atmosphere on set was particularly buoyant”

The Magic of ‘Pukar’ and a Beachside Romance

Directed and produced by Ramesh Behl, Pukar was a film that caught Zeenat Aman’s attention for its anti-colonial theme, star-studded cast, and unforgettable music. The song ‘Samundar Mein Naha Ke,’ shot on an unpopulated Goan beach in the early 80s, was a particularly fun yet challenging experience for the actress.

“For me, it was an easy-breezy affair! I didn’t have any lip-syncing to do, nor much choreography to learn. The brief was as basic as they come—look pretty! So there I was in a titillating white outfit, with a bit of midriff on display, rolling around in the surf, while Mr. Bachchan pranced around me like an ardent bird-of-paradise,” Aman shared in her post.

However, despite the seemingly effortless shoot, there was one significant challenge—the actress couldn’t swim. “My otherwise seamless performance was hindered by one small fact—I can’t swim! I had to swallow a fair amount of nerves (and seawater) for those shots of me writhing in the swash! Despite taking a few tumbles in the waves and being left with sand in uncomfortable places, I thought I did a convincing job of being a jal pari (mermaid),” she added.

Amitabh Bachchan’s Triumphant Return to the Sets

Aman also highlighted the significance of the moment, revealing that the shoot was Amitabh Bachchan’s first after his near-death experience during the making of Coolie. The 1982 accident had left the superstar fighting for his life, with the entire nation anxiously waiting for his recovery. “Bachchan mania was well-established in the country by then, and the nation practically held its breath till he was in the clear. So as you can imagine, the atmosphere on set was particularly buoyant during the making of this film,” she wrote.

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A post shared by Zeenat Aman (@thezeenataman)

Aman’s post has sparked a wave of nostalgia among Bollywood lovers, bringing back memories of an era when cinema was at its most magical. The actress ended her post on a lighthearted note, encouraging her followers to send the memory to someone who owes them a beachside getaway this summer.

Also Read: Ishaan Khatter calls Zeenat Aman ‘one of my favourite people’ while working on The Royals; says, “We had the loveliest time together”