Fatima Sana Shaikh is an Indian actress, who mainly works in Hindi films. She shot to fame after portraying the role of the Indian wrestler Geeta Phogat in the 2016 blockbuster film Dangal.
Wiki/Biography
Fatima Sana Shaikh was born on Saturday, 11 January 1992 (age 32 years; as of 2024) in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Hyderabad, Telangana). Her zodiac sign is Capricorn.
Fatima Sana Shaikh in childhood
She grew up in Mumbai. Shaikh’s family has its roots in Jammu and Kashmir. She did her schooling at St. Xavier’s High School in Mumbai. After that, Fatima attended Mithibai College of Arts, Chauhan Institutes of Science & Amrutben Jivanlal College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai, to pursue her graduation. Before becoming an actress, Fatima received photography experience at a photography studio in Mumbai for around two years.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 3″
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Fatima Sana Shaikh is the daughter of Vipin Sharma and Raj Tabassum. She has an elder brother named Shaanib.
Fatima Sana Shaikh with her family in childhood
Fatima Sana Shaikh with her parents
Fatima Sana Shaikh with her brother in childhood
Fatima Sana Shaikh’s brother cleaning the house during the lockdown
Husband
As of 2022, Fatima Sana Shaikh is unmarried.
Relationships/Affairs
Ever since Fatima Sana Shaikh and Aamir Khan starred in the Bollywood film Dangal (2016), the two have been linked to each other. Although they have rubbished the dating rumours multiple times, things got intense after Aamir Khan announced his divorce from his second wife Kiran Rao.
Fatima Sana Shaikh with Aamir Khan
As soon as, Aamir made his divorce news official, people started blaming Fatima Sana Shaikh for Aamir and Kiran’s separation.
In November 2022, Fatima shared a series of pictures on Instagram with the caption
To do or Knot to do, That is the question…”
Soon after she made the post, netizens began asking her if her wedding with her rumoured boyfriend Aamir Khan was on cards. What added fuel to the speculations was Aamir’s daughter Ira‘s comment on the post. Ira left a trail of heart eyes emojis on her post. Fatima also attended Ira Khan’s engagement. Fatima was twinning with Aamir Khan on the event.
Fatima Sana Shaikh at Ira Khan’s engagement
In 2018, Fatima was also rumoured to be dating the Indian actor Aparshakti Khurana. When asked about their link-up rumours in an interview, Aparshakti Khurana said,
They don’t affect me at all because these are rumours. Plus Sanya (Malhotra) and Fatima are close enough to my wife (Aakriti Ahuja) for her to understand the equation.”
Fatima Sana Shaikh with Aparshakti Khurana
Religion & Religious Views
Although Fatima’s father is a Hindu and her mother is a Muslim, she identifies herself as an atheist and believes in Karma. While talking about it in an interview, she said,
My mom is a Muslim, my dad is a Hindu, and my brother and I are agnostic. I believe in karma.”
She further said,
In my school, there were kids from all kinds of backgrounds. I have never learnt whether you should give someone their name first or religion first. When I was growing up no one asked each others’ religion, caste, class, etc. I didn’t know it was important until now when we see these getting in the way all the time. I feel people have a lot of free time to talk about all this.”
Career
Films
Child Artist
Fatima Sana Shaikh started her career as a child artist at the age of 5 with the 1997 Hindi film Chachi 420.
Fatima Sana Shaikh in Chachi 420
She played the role of Bharti Ratan in the film. In the same year, Sana played a cameo in the Bollywood film Ishq. Subsequently, she played the role of Baby Sana in the Hindi film Bade Dilwala (1999). In 2001, she appeared as a child artist in the Hindi film One 2 Ka 4.
Fatima Sana Shaikh in the film One 2 Ka 4
Thereafter, Shaikh took a break from acting to concentrate on her studies.
Actress
Fatima Sana Shaikh made her Bollywood debut as an actress in 2008 with the film Tahaan in which she played the role of Zoya.
Fatima Sana Shaikh as Zoya in Tahaan
She then appeared in the Bollywood films Bittoo Boss (2012) and Akaash Vani (2013).
Fatima Sana Shaikh as Sumbul in Akaash Vaani
In 2015, Sana made her Telugu film debut with the film Nuvvu Nenu Okatavudaam as Sruti.
Fatima Sana Shaikh as Sruti in Nuvvu Nenu Okatavudaam
In 2016, She became a household name after portraying the role of Geeta Phogat in the super hit film Dangal. Starring Aamir Khan in the lead role, the film became one of the highest-grossing Indian films ever, earning more than Rs. 2000 crores worldwide. The film was liked by both, the audience and the critics.
Fatima Sana Shaikh in Dangal
Shaikh has also appeared in the Bollywood films Thugs of Hindostan (2018), Ludo (2020), Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari (2020), Ajeeb Daastaans (2021), and Thar (2022).
Fatima Sana Shaikh as Tulshi Rane in Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari
Television
Fatima made her TV debut in 2009 with season 1 of the television series Ladies Special, which aired on Sony Entertainment Television. She played the role of Geeti in the show. In the same year, she played the role of Suman in the TV serial Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo.
Fatima Sana Shaikh as Geeti in Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo
The show aired on Zee TV. In 2011, Fatima played the role of Richa Shivoy in Disney Channel’s sitcom show Best of Luck Nikki.
Web Series
In 2022, Fatima played the role of the chattering, clumsy and exuberant Kashmiri cook Lalzari in Amazon Prime Video’s Raat Rani segment of the romantic comedy anthology Modern Love Mumbai. Directed by Shonali Bose, Raat Rani delineates the journey of Lalzari from anguish to optimism. Lalzari travels in the film on a forbidden bicycle on Mumbai’s Sea Link bridge which is barred for two-wheelers (serving as a metaphor for Lalzari’s life.
Fatima Sana Shaikh as Lalzari in the Raat Rani segment of Modern Love Mumbai
Music Videos
In 2015, Sana was featured in the music video of the Hindi song Tujhse Meri by Aditya Salankar. Later, she also appeared in Vishal Bhardwaj‘s music video Palkein Kholo.
Fatima Sana Shaikh in Palkein Kholo
Cinematograpy
Fatima Sana Shaikh has also worked as an assistant cinematographer in two TV commercials.
TV Commercials
Fatima has been featured in the TV commercials of brands like KitKat, Fossil, Tata Harrier, and Dabur Almond.
Fatima Sana Shaikh endorsing Dabur Almond
Controversies
Trolled for Being Anti-national
In 2019, Fatima changed her display picture on Instagram to a black image on India’s Independence Day to sympathise with Pakistan. She was badly trolled by the netizens for being anti-national. However, later Sana clarified that someone had shared a fake post and she never changed her Instagram DP to black. Giving a befitting reply to her trollers, Sana tweeted,
So, someone on Twitter has posted a fake post about me uploading a black image as my DP today. For God knows what reason. Because of this I have been receiving a lot of hate since morning. Please don’t fall prey to fake posts and get swayed by it. Thanks.”
Homewrecker
After the release of the Bollywood film Dangal, there were rumours that Fatima was dating the Indian actor Aamir Khan. When Aamir and Kiran Rao announced their divorce, Fatima was blamed by the netizens for being the reason behind their divorce.
Criticised for Hurting Sentiments of the Muslims
Fatima was once slut-shammed by netizens for sharing a picture of herself wearing a monokini during the holy month of Ramadan. Later, she was also criticised for sharing a picture of herself having food during the month of Ramadan as the keepers of the faith believed that she should have been observing fast.
Favourites
- Film: American Psycho (2000)
- Film Director(s): Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sriram Raghavan, Vishal Bhardwaj, Zoya Akhtar
- Book(s): Only Love Is Real by Brian Weiss, Many Lives by Brian Weiss, Many Masters by Brian Weiss
Facts/Trivia
- Fatima Sana Shaikh loves dancing, reading, sketching, and doing photography in her leisure time.
- Her family and friends fondly call her Fatty.
- Fatima follows a vegetarian diet. In 2022, Fatima and the Indian actor John Abraham were crowned PETA India’s Most Beautiful Vegetarians.
- Fatima Sana Shaikh is often confused with the Indian actress Sana Sheikh due to their similar names.
- Fatima got selected to play the role of Geeta Phogat in the Bollywood film Dangal after giving 6 rounds of auditions. In an interview, she revealed that to prepare for the role, she watched several wrestling videos to understand the walk, moves, and body language of the wrestlers. She also received physical training from fitness coach and former wrestler Kripa Shankar Patel Bishnoi and attended various workshops with Tiwari and Aamir Khan.
- In an interview, Fatima shared that during the shooting of the film Dangal, she stayed at Aamir Khan’s old apartment in Mumbai for around 6 months along with Sanya Malhotra, Zaira Wasim, and Suhani Bhatnagar. Fatima also revealed that while rehearsing a scene for Dangal, she misjudged the timing, and consequently, fractured her ankle.
- Apparently, Shaikh was diagnosed with epilepsy during the shooting of her debut film Dangal. She revealed this during an Ask me Anything session on Instagram. When asked by a fan how she found out about it, Fatima wrote,
I was diagnosed when I was training for Dangal. I got an episode and woke up straight at the hospital… I was in denial first [for five years]. And now, I have learnt to embrace it, and work and live around it.”
- In an interview, Fatima disclosed that she bonded so well with her co-star Sanya Malhotra during the making of the film Dangal that some of their friends misinterpreted their close friendship as romance, leading to dating rumours. Talking about it, she said,
We simply laughed about it. Just because we are good friends, they assumed the worst.”
Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra
- In 2016, when Fatima Sana Shaikh appeared in Karan Johar‘s talk show Koffee with Karan, she revealed that she was jobless for around three years before getting Dangal.
- In 2017, Fatima Sana Shaikh won the Jackie Chan Action Movie Award for Best Action Actress for the Bollywood film Dangal.
- In 2020, She was ranked 48 in The Times Most Desirable Woman list.
- In an interview, while talking about her #MeeToo experience, Fatima said,
It was about a personal experience. I think people have misunderstood the #MeToo movement if they restrict it only to the film industry. It’s not only ki film industry mein aisi cheez hoti hai. Har job mein hoti hai. Jo mere saath hua hai, woh bohot pehle hua hai. Aisa nahi hai ki Dangal ke time hua hai ya uske baad. It happened when I was very young. I think people assuming that it’s very current and wondering why I am not talking about it… that’s a lot of expectation. Every woman in our country has dealt with it and I’m sure not everyone wants to talk about it publicly.”
- A pet lover Fatima, earlier owned two pet cats named Sultan and Michelle. She also owns two pet dogs named Nush and Bijlee.
Fatima Sana Shaikh with her pet dog
- She loves riding bikes.
Fatima Sana Shaikh posing with a bike
- Fatima Sana Shaikh has been featured on the cover of the Cine Blitz magazine.
Fatima Sana Shaikh featured on the cover of the Cine Blitz magazine
- A fitness enthusiast, Fatima visits the gym every day.
Fatima Sana Shaikh working out in a gym
- Fatima charged Rs. 1 crore for playing the role of ‘Indira Gandhi’ in the film ‘Sam Bahadur’ in 2023.
Fatima Sana Shaikh as ‘Indira Gandhi’ in a still from the film ‘Sam Bahadur’ (2023)
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education