Tabassum Fatima Hashmi (born 4 November 1971), professionally known asTabu, is an Indian actress who primarily works inHindi films. Widely regarded as one of Hindi cinema's most accomplished actresses, she is known for portraying complex, often troubled women, in both mainstream and independent films.[1][2][3] She has receivednumerous accolades, including twoNational Film Awards, sevenFilmfare Awards (including a record fiveCritics Awards for Best Actress), and twoFilmfare Awards South. In 2011, she was honoured with thePadma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award.[4]
Tabassum Fatima Hashmi was born on 4 November 1971[7][8][9] to Jamal Ali Hashmi and Rizwana in aHyderabadi Muslim family.[8][10] Her father was an actor inPakistan, with some well-received roles in the 1970s, who moved back to India in order to live with her mother.[11] He left the family when she was three.[12] She has an older sister,Farah, who is also an actress.[13] Her mother was a school-teacher and her maternal grandparents were retired professors who ran a school. Her grandfather, Mohammed Ahsan, was a professor of mathematics, and her grandmother was a professor of English Literature.[14]
As a child, Tabu had an uncredited appearance at the age of 11 inBazaar (1982), and at the age of 14, she appeared inHum Naujawan (1985), in which she playedDev Anand's daughter.[21][22]
Tabu's personal life has been subject to substantial media speculation due to her decision to remain unmarried unlike most of her contemporaries and has remained reticent when asked about her choice.[23] When asked about her decision, Tabu stated that she "was working and wanted to see the world on [her] own. If I'd given it all up, it'd have been a disservice to me and my abilities. An ideal relationship is when both individuals grow by being in each other's lives. Relationships are meant to liberate, not stifle".[24]
Tabu's first release in Hindi as a leading lady was in the romantic dramaPehla Pehla Pyar (1994), which generally went unnoticed.[26] However, a turning point in her career came with action filmVijaypath (1994) oppositeAjay Devgn, for which she received theFilmfare Award for Best Female Debut.[27] The film marked the first of numerous collaborations with Devgn. In the following year, significant appearances for Tabu included her role in the box-office successHaqeeqat and the romantic drama filmSaajan Ki Baahon Mein alongsideRishi Kapoor andRaveena Tandon.[28]
In 1996, Tabu had eight releases, two of which—Saajan Chale Sasural andJeet—emerged as commercial successes and ranked among the top five highest-grossing films of that year.[29][30] For the latter, she received her first nomination for theFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.[31] She was also seen inGulzar's critically acclaimed political thrillerMaachis oppositeChandrachur Singh. Her role as a Punjabi woman caught in the rise of Sikh insurgency earned unanimous critical claim; she earned her firstNational Film Award for Best Actress for her performance, in addition to her first nomination for theFilmfare Award for Best Actress.[32][33] Tabu considered the film a turning point in her career, as it helped her recognise her potential as an actress despite her initial hesitation in accepting the role due to its serious subject matter.[34] She followed this with a role oppositeNagarjuna inNinne Pelladutha (1996), the highest-grossing Telugu film at the time of its release.[35] For her performance, she earned her first Filmfare award forBest Actress – Telugu.[36]Anupama Chopra described her as "breathtakingly sensuous".[37] This acclaim continued with theMalayalam period epicKaalapani, directed byPriyadarshan.[38] She also made her debut inTamil cinema with the successful romantic-dramaKadhal Desam, directed byKathir.[39]
In 1999, Tabu was seen among two successful ensemble films—the comedyBiwi No.1 and the family dramaHum Saath-Saath Hain, which went on to become the second highest-grossing, and the highest-grossing films of the year respectively.[42] She also received near-unanimous critical acclaim for her performance in the dramaHu Tu Tu, withNamrata Joshi ofIndia Today describing her as "mesmerising and eloquent".[43] She won her second Filmfare Best Actress (Critics) Award.[44][45]
In 2000, Tabu had five releases across several languages. She first starred in the comedyHera Pheri and the dramaAstitva in Hindi.[46] The former was a box-office success, while the latter earned critical acclaim.Hindustan Times's Arnab Banerjee praised her performance inAstitva, writing that she "is brilliant and once again proves her mettle as an actress".[47][48] She won her third Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics) forAstitva, along with her fourth nomination for Best Actress.[49] In the South, Tabu had two Tamil releases and one Malayalam film. Her Tamil films included the romantic musicalKandukondain Kandukondain, an adaptation ofJane Austen'sSense and Sensibility, and the mystery thrillerSnegithiye. InKandukondain Kandukondain, she starred alongsideMammootty,Ajith Kumar, andAishwarya Rai as Sowmya, based on the character of Elinor Dashwood—Rai's character's sagacious older sister.[50] InSnegithiye, directed by Priyadarshan, Tabu portrayed a headstrong police officer investigating the murder of twin sisters. Both films were critically acclaimed and commercially successful.[51][52][53][54] Tabu's Malayalam release, the action thrillerCover Story, featured her alongsideSuresh Gopi and received positive reviews from critics.[55]
In 2001, Tabu starred inMadhur Bhandarkar'sChandni Bar as a bar dancer. Despite her initial hesitation due to the failure of Bhandarkar's previous filmTrishakti (1999), she accepted the role after hearing the film's narration.[56] The film, along with Tabu's performance, received unanimous critical acclaim, and she received her second National Film Award for Best Actress and a fifth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.[57][58] CriticTaran Adarsh wrote, "Chandni Bar is Tabu's film all the way and there are no two opinions on that. Her performance deserves the highest marks and of course, all the awards. Her work is flawless and the impact her character makes on the minds of the viewer is also due to a tailor-made role".[59] In a similar fashion, Salil Kumar ofRediff.com reviewed, "if there is one actress who can carry a film on her shoulders, it is Tabu. As usual, she sparkles!"[60] Several publications have since regarded the performance as one of the finest of her career.[61][62][63]
In 2003, Tabu starred in an adaptation ofWilliam Shakespeare'sMacbeth, titledMaqbool, that sawIrrfan Khan in the eponymous role. Based on the character ofLady Macbeth, she played Nimmi, Khan's domineering wife. Helmed byVishal Bhardwaj, the film was the first of his Shakespearean Trilogy and premiered at the2003 Toronto International Film Festival.[64]Maqbool was a box-office failure but was met with acclaim; Tabu's performance also received unanimous acclaim with critic Ron Ahluwalia writing: "Tabu shines in a dark role. The most versatile actress in Bollywood takes to villainy like second nature."[65]
She played the supporting role of aRAW officer inFanaa (2006), alongsideAamir Khan andKajol. The film went on to become thesixth highest-grossing film of the year.[66] The same year, she starred in her first Hollywood filmThe Namesake, directed byMira Nair. The film was a success overseas, and she received positive reviews for her performance. InR Balki's romanceCheeni Kum (2007), Tabu played a 34-year-old tourist in London who falls in love with a chef in his sixties (played byAmitabh Bachchan). Due to budget constraints, Balki borrowed equipment fromNikkhil Advani'sSalaam-e-Ishq for filming.[67]Cheeni Kum received positive reviews from critics; Taran Adarsh praised Tabu for holding her own in the presence of Bachchan.[68] Though the film was moderately successful in the domestic market, it performed particularly well in the UK and US.[69] She acquired a record-setting fourth Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics) for her performance in the film.
Following a brief hiatus, which she attributed to being meticulous in her film selection, Tabu starred inToh Baat Pakki!, a romantic comedy about a woman searching for a husband for her sister (played byYuvika Chaudhary).[70][71] The film was widely panned by critics, including Raja Sen ofRediff.com who termed it a "bland, preposterously dated 'comedy'" that limited Tabu's performance.[72] She next starred oppositeSunny Deol as a CBI officer investigating the murder of theChief Minister of Maharashtra in the action dramaKhuda Kasam.[73] BothToh Baat Pakki! andKhuda Kasam had minuscule box-office returns.[74] She returned toMalayalam cinema in 2011 with a song appearance in the ensemble dramaUrumi, directed bySantosh Sivan.[75] Tabu had also completed filming forB. R. Chopra'sBanda Yeh Bindaas Hai; however, the film was indefinitely shelved due to plagiarism disputes.[76]
Keen to take on a light-hearted role, Tabu returned to commercial cinema with theSalman Khan-starrerJai Ho (2014), a remake of the Telugu filmStalin (2006).[80] Despite being six years younger than Khan, she played the role of his elder sister.[81]Variety's David Chute wrote that, "Stately-tall and with the profile of an Egyptian princess, Tabu is operating here several kilometers beneath her gifts".[82] With a gross of over₹1.9 billion (US$22 million), it emerged as thesixth-highest grossing Hindi film of the year.[83] She next reunited with Bhardwaj forHaider, his film adaptation of Shakespeare'sHamlet.[84] The film completed Bhardwaj's Shakespearean Trilogy that previously featured Tabu inMaqbool.[85] She initially passed on the role as she was hesitant about playing a mother toShahid Kapoor, but relented when Bhardwaj stressed the character's importance to the plot.[86] She essayed the role of Ghazala Meer, theGertrude character, to Kapoor's Haider (Hamlet).Haider received critical acclaim, with Tabu's performance being particularly praised.[87][88] Rachel Saltz ofThe New York Times and Lisa Tsering ofThe Hollywood Reporter both noted that Tabu delivered the standout performance in the cast.[89][90] She earned her firstFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.[91]
Tabu continued to receive critical acclaim with her next venture,Drishyam (2015), in which she portrayed Meera, a police officer investigating the murder of her son.[92] Directed byNishikant Kamat, the film was a remake of the Malayalam film of thesame name.[93]Scroll.in's Nandini Ramnath wrote that Tabu's "raspy voice and impassive face convey the systemic obduracy that Meera Deshmukh represents".[94] She earned her third nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.[95] BothHaider andDrishyam emerged as modest commercial successes.[96][97]
Fitoor—the Hindi adaptation ofCharles Dickens'Great Expectations—was Tabu's sole release of 2016 alongsideKatrina Kaif andAditya Roy Kapur.[98] Based on the character ofMiss Havisham, she essayed the role of Begum Hazrat, Kaif's manipulative mother.[99] Her performance divided critics;[100] While Rachel Saltz remarked that her performance was inferior to her other roles in adapted English tragedies, she praised her ability to convey loss with "her great tragedienne's face", and Subhash K. Jha ofFirstpost thought that she had been miscast in the role of Kaif's mother, but both criticised the inadequacy of the script.[101][102] It emerged as abox-office bomb.[103] The following year, Tabu joinedRohit Shetty'sGolmaal (film series) in the sequelGolmaal Again.[104] She cited her admiration for Shetty's work as the reason for her return to comedy.[104] Her portrayal of a ghostbuster drew praise from critics withThe Indian Express'Shubhra Gupta writing that "her inclusion to the film is an unexpected pleasure".[105]Golmaal Again became one of thehighest-grossing Indian films of the year.[106]
Tabu's first release of 2018 was Mukul Abhyankar'sMissing, a thriller oppositeManoj Bajpayee.[107] She lent her vocals for the film's only song, a lullaby titled "So Ja Re".[108] Despite earning praise for her portrayal of a mother in search of her missing daughter, the film underperformed at the box office.[109] She followed this with a special appearance inRajkumar Hirani's biopicSanju, starringRanbir Kapoor.[110] Tabu described her scene in the film as her "Truman Show moment", as she recreated the moment she presentedSanjay Dutt the award for Best Actor in a Comic Role at the49th Filmfare Awards.[111]
A turning point in her career came withSriram Raghavan's crime thrillerAndhadhun, which saw her as the parallel lead toAyushmann Khurrana.[112] The film, along with her performance, received unanimous critical acclaim.[113][114] CriticRajeev Masand lauded Tabu as "the film's towering performance" and reviewers forReuters andHindustan Times commended her capabilities as thefemme fatale.[115][116][117] With a gross of over₹4.5 billion (US$53 million), the film emerged as atop-grossing Indian film, and earned her a sixth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, and fifth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics).[118] InAkiv Ali's romantic comedyDe De Pyaar De (2019), she starred as the ex-wife of Devgn's character who disapproves of his relationship with a younger woman (played byRakul Preet Singh).[119] She was drawn to exploring how a middle-aged divorcee navigates love.[120]Rediff.com'sSukanya Verma praised Tabu for enhancing a mediocre picture.[121] She ended the year with a brief role as the missing younger sister of Salman Khan's character inAli Abbas Zafar's partition dramaBharat.[122]
In the spiritual sequelBhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), Tabu received critical acclaim for her dual role as twin sisters seeking vengeance against each other.[132] She found the experience of playing the dual role particularly challenging, as she had to showcase the characters in multiple time periods.[133] Reception to the film was generally mixed, but Tabu's performance was considered a highlight;[134] Monika Rawal Kukreja of theHindustan Times observed that although Tabu delivered the film's standout performance, her depiction of Manjulika was less effective thanVidya Balan's in thepredecessor.[135] She earned a seventh nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, and a record-setting fifth Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics).[136] Later that year, she reprised her role as Meera in the thriller sequelDrishyam 2, directed byAbhishek Pathak.[137] Archika Khurana ofThe Times of India regarded Tabu's performance as "simply outstanding", while Shomini Sen ofWION remarked that she complemented Ajay Devgn with subtlety.[138][139] BothBhool Bhulaiyaa 2 andDrishyam 2 rank among thehighest-grossing Hindi films of 2022, with the latter earning over₹3.4 billion (US$40 million) worldwide.[140]
Tabu in 2020
The 2023 witnessed Tabu portray a government official thrice in the thrillersKuttey,Bholaa andKhufiya.[141] InKuttey, she essayed the role of a corrupt police officer—a role originally written for a man.[142] Sukanya Verma commended Tabu for elevating a poorly-written script.[143] Once again as a police officer, Tabu starred opposite Devgn in the action thrillerBholaa, which he also directed.[144] In her mixed review of the film, Monika Rawal Kukreja felt that Tabu had not been given adequate scope to perform as she is "made to disappear as Devgn takes spotlight while fighting the bad guys".[145] BothKuttey andBholaa underperformed at the box-office.[146][147] InKhufiya, she reunited with Bhardwaj for their fifth collaboration as an operative of an intelligence agency alongsideAli Fazal andWamiqa Gabbi.[148] Released directly on toNetflix, the film had a generally ambivalent reception from critics.[149][150][151] Anuj Kumar ofThe Hindu was appreciative of Tabu's consistent performances in Bhardwaj's projects, but thought that she had been overshadowed by Gabbi on this occasion.[152]
Tabu returned to commercial cinema in 2024 alongsideKareena Kapoor Khan andKriti Sanon in the female-led heist comedyCrew, in which the trio played flight attendants.[153] In preparation, they received training from former cabin crew members.[154]Outlook's Garima Das commended Tabu as the film's standout.[155] Ranking among thetop-grossing Hindi films of 2024, it emerged as a commercial success.[156] She next reunited with Devgn for their tenth collaboration inNeeraj Pandey'sAuron Mein Kahan Dum Tha, a romantic thriller about a married woman who rekindles a relationship with her incarcerated former lover.[157] The film had meagre box-office returns against its estimated₹1 billion (US$12 million) production budget.[158][159] Lachmi Deb Roy ofFirstpost panned the film's antiquated storyline and the underutilisation of both Devgn and Tabu, though Dhaval Roy took note of Tabu's performance of "quiet intensity".[160][161]
In her final release of the year, she had a brief role asFrancesca in theDune franchise prequel seriesDune: Prophecy, a character she described as "deep and intense".[162][163] Praising her styling and look in the series, Mini Anthikad Chhibber ofThe Hindu felt that Tabu had salvaged a poorly-written character butThe Hindustan Times's Abhimanyu Mathur compared her performance unfavourably to those of her other English-language roles inLife of Pi andThe Namesake.[164][165] She will next star alongsideAkshay Kumar and Wamiqa Gabbi in Priyadarshan's horror comedyBhoot Bangla.[166] She will also feature inPuri Jagannadh's as-yet untitled action film starringVijay Sethupathi.[167]
Tabu is among the most accomplished actresses inHindi cinema, known for her work in both mainstream and independent cinema.India Today observes that Tabu's "uncontrived freshness" and "mobile face" have made her a favourite in Bollywood, with her performances showcasing "a considerable range".[168]Filmfare adds that her presence in a film's credits automatically raises audience expectations.[169] According toForbes, Tabu portrayed strong, women-oriented characters long before such roles were labelled "game-changers,"[14] whileVogue highlights her ability to deliver "non-stop stellar and heart-swooning performances."[21]Eastern Eye describes her as a "versatile performer" often called upon to bring depth to commercial blockbusters.[170]Film Companion has commented on the "aura of mystery" surrounding her as a celebrity, adding that her onscreen presence carries an "ineffable, intuitive quality."[171] Despite having no formal acting background, Tabu considers herself a risk-taker, relying on instinct and her director's guidance rather than extensive preparation.[171]
Members of theIndian film industry have often commented on Tabu's beauty and talent. LyricistGulzar hailed Tabu as "the beginning of a new era" and "a thinking actress in the mould of Nargis, Nutan and Meena Kumari".[172][173] For filmmakerKaran Johar, Tabu is "truly the country's greatest actor", as well as "versatile", "adaptive" and "timeless".[174] She describes her aunt,Shabana Azmi, as her "biggest critic".[175] In 2023, journalistRajeev Masand named her one of Hindi cinema's best actresses of all time.[176] Known to be selective about her film roles, Tabu once said, "I do films which move me and most of all, the unit and the director should appeal to me".[1] In 2019, at the 17thIndian Film Festival of Los Angeles she was honoured with "Opening Night Tribute". In 2019,Film Companion ranked Tabu's performance inHaider andAndhadhun among the100 Greatest Performances of the Decade.[177][178]India Today named her in their "Top Bollywood Actresses" list.[179] She was placed inFilmfare's "Top Ten Actresses" of 2003.[180] InRediff.com's "Top Ten Actresses" list, she ranked 9th in 2007.[181] She topped the list in 2014[182] and 2018.[183] In 1998, Tabu received theSmita Patil Memorial Award for Best Actress, for her contribution to Indian cinema.[184]Forbes India included Tabu in its "50 Showstoppers" list of 2022.[185]
In 1998, Tabu was charged with poaching twoblackbucks on the outskirts of Kankani village inJodhpur district ofRajasthan during the filming ofHum Saath Saath Hain along with co-starsSalman Khan,Saif Ali Khan,Sonali Bendre andNeelam Kothari.[186] A lower court charged her with the others under theWildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the IPC. She had filed a revision petition before a sessions court which discharged her of Section 51 (causing harm to wildlife) of Wildlife Act and both of 147 (punishment for rioting) and 149 (unlawful assembly of persons) of theIndian Penal Code.[187] The Rajasthan State Government then filed a revision petition before theRajasthan High Court at Jodhpur which again added Section 149 against her, which had been dropped earlier. In December 2012, the Jodhpur court summoned her along with all the accused for commencement of the trial with the revised charges on 4 February 2013.[188] Although Tabu was acquitted in the blackbuck poaching case on 5 April 2018,[189] the Rajasthan High Court issued her with a notice, challenging her acquittal on 11 March 2019.[190]
