Fatima Sana Shaikh has steadily carved a place for herself in the entertainment industry through consistent performances and a willingness to take on varied roles. Known for her strong screen presence
and versatility, the actress continues to evolve with each project.
As she celebrates her 34th birthday on January 11, here’s a look at her career highlights, notable films and defining personal milestones.
Fatima Sana Shaikh’s Career Highlights
The actress began her career as a child artist in Chachi 420 in 1997. In the film, she essayed the role of Bharti Ratan. As a child, she also appeared in several popular Bollywood films, including Bade Dilwale, Khoobsurat and One 2 Ka 4.
First Big Break
Despite working in the industry from a young age, Fatima got her first big break in Nitesh Tiwari’s sports biography drama Dangal in 2016. In the film, Fatima was chosen to portray the role of Indian wrestler Geeta Phogat.
For this role, Fatima had to go through intense training and physical transformation and watched several videos on wrestling to understand their moves and body language. Alongside Fatima, the film also starred Aamir Khan and newcomer Sanya Malhotra.
Dangal gave Fatima her first big break. The film became the highest-grossing Indian film ever, with more than Rs 2000 crore in global earnings.
Streaming Success
Following the success of Dangal, Fatima starred in various popular films and streaming projects. The actress gained immense popularity for her OTT films and series, including Ludo, Ajeeb Daastaans and Modern Love Mumbai.
Recent Works
In 2025, Fatima Sana Shaikh appeared in three films in total. She was seen in Anurag Basu’s Metro… In Dino, Vivek Soni’s Aap Jaisa Koi and Vibhu Puri’s Gustaakh Ishq.
Popular Movies of Fatima Sana Shaikh
Fatima Sana Shaikh has been capturing hearts with her films for nearly a decade. Some of her most popular films include:
Dangal (2016)
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Dangal is based on Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari, who went on to become India’s first world-class female wrestlers.
The film stars Fatima in the role of Geeta Phogat and Sanya Malhotra as Babita Kumari. Aamir Khan, on the other hand, essayed the role of Mahavir Singh Phogat, a Pehlwani amateur wrestler.
Ludo (2020)
Fatima Sana Shaikh essayed the role of Pinky Jain in Anurag Basu’s Ludo. The film also features an ensemble cast, including Abhishek Bachchan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Rajkummar Rao, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf and Pearle Maaney.
Sam Bahadur (2023)
Directed by Meghna Gulzar Sam Bahadur is a biographical war drama based on the life of India’s first field marshal, Sam Manekshaw. In this film Fatima played the role of Indira Gandhi. The other cast of the film includes Vicky Kaushal, Sanya Malhotra, Neeraj Kabi, Edward Sonnenblick and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub.
Metro…In Dino (2025)
The spiritual sequel to Anurag Basu’s 2007 anthology film Life in a… Metro, Metro… In Dino follows the lives of four couples set in urban India. The film stars an ensemble cast consisting of Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Sara Ali Khan, Ali Fazal and Fatima Sana Shaikh.
Gustaakh Ishq (2025)
In Vibhu Puri’s romantic drama, Fatima Sana Shaikh stars alongside Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah and Sharib Hashmi. Set in the 1990s, the film follows a young poet’s efforts to revive his father’s printing press, but in the process, he falls for his mentor’s daughter, forcing him to choose between love and loyalty.
Fatima Sana Shaikh’s Notable Life Moments
Over the years, Fatima has received various accolades for her films. In 2019, she received the Jackie Chan Action Movie Awards’ Best Action Actress for her role in Thugs of Hindostan. She also received Best Actress – Critics in the Filmfare Short Film Awards for her film Ayesha.
She also portrayed former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Sam Bahadur, a performance she has called an “honour.” The film’s success at the National Awards remains a moment of pride for the actress.
