Tenacious Tabu @43
For Tabu, one of Bollywood's most versatile and respected actresses, it's been a long and glittering journey from her Bollywood debut opposite an ageing Dev Anand in Hum Naujawan to her recent success with Haider. As she celebrates her 43rd birthday, we take a look at her life and times.
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Tenacious Tabu @43Actress Tabu has carved a niche for herself in Bollywood with her intense and versatile performances. The much talented actress commands respect with her powerful performances on-screen, right from her Bollywood debut opposite Dev Anand in Hum Naujawan to her recent cricitically acclaimed performance in Haider. As she celebrates her 43rd birthday, we take a look at her life and times. -
Tenacious Tabu @43Tabassum Hashmi was born on November 4, 1971 in Hyderabad. Her parents were divorced soon after and Tabu and her sister, actress Farah Naaz, were raised by her mother Rizwana, a school teacher. Tabu is the niece of actress Shabana Azmi. -
Tenacious Tabu @43The first Bollywood film Tabu signed as a heroine was Prem, produced by Boney Kapoor and starring his younger brother Sanjay. However, Prem's release was delayed by years and Tabu appeared in three films before it finally saw light of day. -
Tenacious Tabu @43Among the films that released before Prem was the well-received Vijaypath (1994), opposite Ajay Devgn. Tabu's performance won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Tabu was reportedly cast in Vijaypath after actress Divya Bharti died. -
Tenacious Tabu @431996 was a good year for Tabu with the release of Saajan Chale Sasural, Himmat, Tu Chor Main Sipahi, Jeet – for which she was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – and the acclaimed Maachis, directed by Gulzar. Tabu's performance as a young Punjabi woman who becomes a terrorist won her the National Award for Best Actress. -
Tenacious Tabu @43In 1997 came the superhit Virasat opposite Anil Kapoor. Tabu's performance as a village belle was singled out for praise and earned her the Critics' Choice Filmfare Award for Best Actress. The same year, she appeared in Kalpana Lajmi's acclaimed Darmiyan, ensemble film Border and made a small but impressive outing in Mani Ratnam's Iruvar, the film in which beauty queen Aishwarya Rai made her debut. -
Tenacious Tabu @43Now established as an actress of repute, Tabu also starred in mainstream and commercial films. In 1997, she had a major hit opposite Kamal Haasan in Chachi 420, the Bollywood remake of Robin Williams' cross-dressing blockbuster Mrs Doubtfire. -
Tenacious Tabu @43One of Tabu's best known films is Astitva (2000), in which she played an ageing wife who is rejected by her husband after it is revealed that their son is the product of an affair she had when young. Tabu was the Critics' Choice for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards again. Astitva was praised for dealing with the topics of infidelity and divorce without standing in judgement. -
Tenacious Tabu @43In Vishal Bhardwaj's acclaimed Maqbool (2003), an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Tabu was praised for her performance as Nimmi, the equivalent of Lady Macbeth, opposite actors Irrfan Khan, Pankaj Kapoor, Naserrudin Shah and Om Puri. -
Tenacious Tabu @43Tabu's first Hollywood film, Mira Nair's The Namesake (2007), based on Jhumpa Lahiri's novel, did very well abroad. She was paired opposite Irrfan once again (after Maqbool), playing Bengali woman Ashima who marries and moves to the US.
