Biography
Who is Naseeruddin Shah?
Early life and education
Naseeruddin Shah was born on July 20, 1950, in the town of Barabanki, India. He comes from a family with well-known historical roots, as his great-great-grandfather was the Afghan warlord Jan-Fishan Khan, who became the Nawab of Sardhana. His extended family includes diverse figures such as the poet Amina Shah, the author Ikbal Ali Shah, and the cricketer Owais Shah.
He completed his early schooling at St. Anselm's Ajmer and later attended St. Joseph's College in Nainital. He went on to earn an arts degree from Aligarh Muslim University in 1971. His formal training in acting took place at the National School of Drama in Delhi.
Theatre and television work
In 1977, Naseeruddin Shah co-founded the theatre group Motley Productions alongside Tom Alter and Benjamin Gilani. Their first public performance was the play Waiting for Godot, which they staged at the Prithvi Theatre in 1979. He has performed extensively in cities including Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, and Lahore. As a director, he has focused on staging works by writers such as Ismat Chughtai and Saadat Hasan Manto.
His television career includes playing the title role in the 1988 series Mirza Ghalib, which was directed by Gulzar. He also portrayed the Maratha ruler Shivaji in the 1989 series Bharat Ek Khoj, which was based on a book by Jawaharlal Nehru. During the 1990s, he hosted segments of the science program Turning Point and acted in the Zee TV series Tarkash.
Film career and directing
Naseeruddin Shah entered the film industry in the mid-1970s, establishing himself through parallel cinema titles such as Nishant, Aakrosh, and Sparsh. He transitioned into mainstream Bollywood with the 1980 film Hum Paanch. His extensive filmography also includes the 1983 cult comedy Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, the 1986 film Karma, and the 1999 thriller Sarfarosh. In 1994, he appeared in his 100th film, Mohra, where he played the antagonist.
He gained international recognition for his work in projects like the 2001 film Monsoon Wedding and the 2003 Hollywood adaptation The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, where he played Captain Nemo. He also acted in the 2008 film A Wednesday and the 2011 film The Dirty Picture. He directed his first feature film, Yun Hota To Kya Hota, in 2006. In 2026, he portrayed the character Ishar Singh Grewal in the film Main Vaapas Aaunga.
Family and personal life
Naseeruddin Shah was previously married to Manara Sikri, and they have a daughter named Heeba Shah. In 1982, he married the actress Ratna Pathak. The couple has two sons, Imaad Shah and Vivaan Shah, both of whom have pursued careers in acting. His brother is Zameerud-din Shah, a retired Lieutenant General who served as the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University.
He received the Padma Shri in 1987 and the Padma Bhushan in 2003 for his contributions to cinema. His other major accolades include multiple National Film Awards, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and the Volpi Cup for Best Actor from the Venice Film Festival. He identifies as a non-practising Muslim and has authored a memoir titled And Then One Day.
Birthday and age
Naseeruddin Shah was born on July 20, 1950, which makes Naseeruddin 76 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Naseeruddin shares the date with 31 other famous people.
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