Tabu has been one of the best actors Bollywood has produced. Tabassum Fatima Hashmi, known by her screen-name Tabu, is a legendary actor who has given us some really memorable characters. No matter what the role, Tabu has always proven her mettle by bringing her best game to the movie. Even her choice of roles is proof of her cinematic brilliance.
From Maachis to Andhadhun, here are some of the most memorable performances by Tabu that we would remember for a lifetime.
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1. Veeran in Maachis
Based on the aftermath of Operation Blue Star, Maachis is a masterpiece. Tabu plays Veeran, who is a victim of Sikh insurgency. Her stellar performance was recognised across the country, and she went on to win the National Award for Best Actress for the movie that year.
2. Gehna in Virasat
Playing the role of a simple village girl, who is forced to marry. But in spite of everything she stands with her husband through thick and thin. While other female actors were busy playing cookie-cutter roles, Tabu impressed everyone with her acting skills in Virasat. She even won the Filmfare Critics Choice Award for Best Actress.
Also Read: 4 Hard-hitting Quotes By Tabu To Inspire You To Follow Your Own Path
3. Aditi Pandit in Astitva
Very few actors in the industry have the guys and the ability to pull off a difficult role. But Tabu made it look like a breeze when she played the role of a confident wife who has an affair with a music teacher while she is in a continuous search for her identity.
4. Mumtaz in Chandni Bar
Tabu’s roles have proven how bold her choices have been over the years. Nothing could be bolder than her role as Mumtaz in Chandni Bar. It is one of the most memorable performances in Bollywood history, and Tabu proved how she is so different from the other actresses who end up playing just eye-candy roles.
5. Ashima in The Namesake
Mira Nair’s movie saw Tabu playing the role of Ashima, and portraying her viewpoint with only her strong acting skills. While this movie had many good actors like Irrfan and Kal Penn, Tabu made her presence felt in a strong way.
6. Nina in Cheeni Kum
Consistently breaking stereotypes, Tabu’s mature performance in Cheeni Kum gave us a delightful movie. She is seen falling in love with a man who is 30 years senior than her, and the way Tabu plays such a complicated role made us fall in love with the movie. No other actress would have dared to take up such a role a decade back.
7. Ghazala in Haider
Haider was a remarkable movie for so many reasons. One of the key ones being Tabu playing the role of Ghazala in the 2014 masterpiece by Vishal Bhardwaj. Sharing the screen with Irrfan, Shahid, Kay Kay Menon, Tabu stood out in such a complicated role; and made us fall in love with her acting prowess.
8. Simi in Andhadhun
Playing a grey character and still making the audience cheer for you – this can only be achieved by actors who are a class apart. This is exactly what Tabu did with her role as Simi in the 2018 movie Andhadhun. Her slyness is just as believable as her vulnerability in the movie, and makes us go WOW!
In her 2 decades-long career Tabu has given us numerous other movies and characters to cheer about – Nimmi in Maqbool, Gital Patel in Life of Pi, Saeeda Bai in A Suitable Boy and many more. She has set her reputation as one of the finest actors in the industry, and we wish to see her in more movies in the future!
