“I do whatever appeals to me. I have always made my own choices.”
– Tabu
Happy Birthday to the effervescent Tabu! We celebrate the many shades of this powerhouse actress on her birthday 04 November, whose fans include Hollywood stars like Tom Cruise.
Her intelligent mind is a beautiful weapon she uses beautifully on screen and has never been limited by genres or languages. The Biryani loving character she played on screen in ‘Cheeni Kun’ is quite different from her real life. She is the most sensuous vegan alive. I think we can all agree.
We give you as a return present on her birthday a lot more interesting things about her.
Hop on the Tabu Filmy Express for entertainment of all kinds. From Chandni Bar to International films or making critics happy baar baar,
That’s Tabu, the actor, the star!
Tabu’s full name is Tabassum Fatima Hashmi.
Her illustrious uncle, Dev Anand had suggested she use her pet name ‘Tabu’ as it was unique and beautiful. We couldn’t agree more with Dev Saab.
It’s another matter than friends and family have given her funny nicknames from Tabs to Tubby and even Toblerone,
Toblerone makes sense; she is crackling with her talent and is full of surprises.Tabu has left her acting footprint across the global filmscape.And has acted in Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam
Marathi and Bengali films. Her international films like Namesake, Hanuman have got her accolades from across the world.
The 2022 international Web Series ‘A Suitable Boy’ has been a trendsetter making her a known face and household name even with the foreign audience.
All in the family:
She is the niece of the Azmis; Shabana, Baba and Tanvi. She is the younger sister of the ‘80s popular actress Farha Naaz.
Tabu holds Ajay Devgn responsible for her single status :
Tabu once said laughingly in an interview that childhood friend Ajay Devgn is responsible for her singlehood.
As, her cousin Sameer Arya and Ajay Devgn would keep a strict watch on her. They were both so protective that no stranger, especially a boy, could talk to her. Since she never got a chance to talk to any guys , she has remained single till date.
They both continue to share a wonderful bond even now. They will be seen together on screen in the much awaited Drishyam 2 releasing on the 18th of November
She has mentioned in her interview several times that they share a very special friendship bond with each other.
Bollywood calling Tabu, the kid:
She made her first small appearance at the age of 14 in the film, Bazaar
Later her uncle, Dev Anand cast her in ‘Hum NauJawan’ in 1985 while she was still in school. She has said on the Anupam Kher Show ‘Kuch bhi ho sakta hai’. That she wasn’t very keen to do the film and wanted to finish her studies and always thought after this film she would go back to her studies and live happily ever after.
Well life had other plans …
Official debut
Tabu’s very first leading role was in the Telugu film Coolie No. 1, along with popular South hero Venkatesh, in 1994. In Bollywood, her film was Pehla Pehla Pyar. It was the movie Vijaypath that gave her recognition and the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award for the same.
Awards Galore
Tabu made a mark in South Indian Cinema and even won three South Filmfare Awards including the movie Ninne Pelladatha . Her critically acclaimed performance in Maachis fetched her a National as well as Filmfare award.
Tabu has also won National Film Awards for two Bollywood movies including Maachis. Tabu was recently seen playing a ‘Hippie’ mom in Jawaani Jaaneman.
Madhur Bhandarkar’s directorial Chandni Bar, in which she played a Bar dancer in Mumbai’s underbelly was her third National Award Winning performance.
Her performance in Cheeni Kum and Drishyam got her the Film Producer Guilds Award among others.
She has won Film fare awards for her films Hu Tu Tu, Chandni Bar, Virasat, Drishyam, Andhadhun among others.
The Autuer’s actor
Tabu has stepped into some dream author backed roles. And she has succeeded in bringing to life characters from literary giants.
The South Indian adaptation of Jane Austen’s , Sense and Sensibility.
Kandukondain Kandukondain in the year 2000.
In Maqbool she essayed the role of Lady Macbeth in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Adaptation of this Shakespeare Classic.
The mother’s character, Gertrude played by her in Haider, an adaptation of Hamlet. Got her much praise along with a lot of controversy for the film.
International Projects:
In 2006, Mira Nair adapted Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel The Namesake. Tabu had a leading part and brought the book and character to life.
She also appeared briefly in Ang Lee’s adventure film, Life of pi.
In 2022, she got more popularity on the foreign scene with the Web series ‘A Suitable Boy’
The lady who takes on films at will and has never been in the box office rat race. Her work speaks volumes about her. And her attitude and pizazz can be seen both on screen and when she says thing like” I don’t care if the heroes are short, that’s their problem”
Always focussed on delivering great work this four time national award winner deserves all the accolades that come her way.
Looking forward to Drishyam 2 and the many other ‘drishyams’ (views) that Tabu has in store for us.
Happy Birthday to the Femme Fatale of Adhadhun, the ‘Hippe Mom’ or Jawani Janeman and the quirky Biryani loving young lady of Cheeni Kum.
May the sweet and the spice in life , be always twice as nice, live life queen-size!
