Tabassum Fatima Hashmi (born 4 November 1971), better known by her stage name Tabu, is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films, alongside Telugu and Tamil language films. Regarded as one of the most accomplished actresses in India, Tabu has often played troubled, complicated women in a range of characters, from fictional to literary, in both mainstream and independent cinema, as well as some American productions. She has won two National Film Awards for Best Actress and six Filmfare Awards, including a record four Critics Awards for Best Actress. In 2011, the Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour of the country.Tabu's first credited role came as a teenager in Dev Anand's Hum Naujawan (1985), but her first role as a lead was in the Telugu film Coolie No. 1 (1991).In 1994, she received the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut for the Hindi action drama Vijaypath.
