In pics: Tabu
Tabassum Fatima Hashmi, born on November 4, 1971, is credited as Tabu, an Indian actress primarily known for her work in Hindi films. She revealed the story behind her screen name during an interview on the podcast series 'Sit With Hitlist' with Mayan Shekhar. In the conversation, Tabu explained that her screen name was suggested by the legendary actor Dev Anand, with whom she had her first role as a teenager in the film 'Hum Naujawan.'
Tabu recalled, "I did my first film as a child artist and there, Dev Sahab thought Tabu is a nice name and I should keep it as my screen name and it never changed. Everybody knew me as Tabu; nobody called me Tabassum, except my school teachers."
Tabu stands out as one of the rare leading stars in Hindi cinema who quietly dedicates herself to her work in films and moves on to the next project while leaving a lasting impression with her performances. Unlike most of her contemporaries and juniors, the star has largely refrained from giving interviews or sharing much on social media.
After initially appearing in uncredited roles as a child, Tabu made her proper debut as a leading actor in the year 1991 with the Telugu film 'Coolie No.1,' alongside Venkatesh. In December 1987, producer Boney Kapoor launched two major films, 'Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja' and 'Prem,' in which Tabu was cast opposite Sanjay Kapoor, Boney's younger brother. Tabu's first release in Hindi as a leading lady was 'Pehla Pehla Pyar' (1994), which went relatively unnoticed. She rose to prominence with her role in 'Vijaypath' (1994) opposite Ajay Devgn, with whom she shares a childhood friendship. She went on to feature in several successful films alongside Devgn.
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In 1996, Tabu had multiple releases, with the political thriller 'Maachis' being the most critically acclaimed. Her portrayal of a Punjabi woman caught in the rise of the Sikh insurgency garnered high praise, and she won her first National Film Award for Best Actress. Around the same time, Tabu also appeared in several successful South Indian films.
