Tabassum Hashmi, popularly known as Tabu, was born on 4 November, 1970 in Hyderabad to Jamal Hashmi and Rizwana. She went to St. Anns high school in Hyderabad. Tabu moved to Mumbai in 1983 and studied at St. Xavier’s College for two years. She is the niece of Shabana Azmi and the younger sister of actress Farah Naaz. Tabu has mainly acted in Hindi films though she has also starred in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali language films, as well as one American film. She has won the National Film Award for Best Actress twice and she holds the record for the most wins of Filmfare’s Critics Award for Best Female Performer, with four wins to her credit.

Tabu began her career in the film ‘Hum Naujawan’ at the age of 15 playing Dev Anand’s daughter. In December 1987, Boney Kapoor launch two Big Films, Roop Ki Rani Choro Raja and Prem. In Prem, Tabu was signed opposite Anil Kapoor’s brother, Sanjay Kapoor. The film took eight years in the making. In fact, Tabu once jokingly said “I should get a the most waiting newcomer of decade”. Her first release in Hindi as a leading lady was Pehla Pehla Pyar which went un-noticed

She came into prominence with her role in Vijaypath opposite Ajay Devgan for which she received the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. This was followed by many films that did not do well at the box office. But vven though Tabu’s movies were not great commercial successes, they were always critically acclaimed.

In 1996, Tabu had eight releases! Two films Saajan Chale Sasural and Jeet went on to be hits; both were in the top five films of that year. Her other significant film, Maachis, was critically acclaimed. Her role as a Punjabi woman caught in the rise of Sikh insurgency and she went on to win her first National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance. In 1997, she starred in the critically acclaimed film Virasat. The film was a success at the box office and Tabu won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance.

2001 saw her star in Chandni Bar directed by Madhur Bhandarkar. Her portrayal of a bar dancer was unanimously praised and she won her second National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance.

In 2007, Tabu starred in ‘Cheeni Kum’, where her character was of a 34 year-old woman who falls in love with a 64 year-old man played by Amitabh Bachchan. The role won her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance.

Towards the end of 2007 came her first Hollywood film, The Namesake, directed by Mira Nair. The film was a huge hit overseas and established Tabu as an internationally acclaimed actress.