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Asha Parekh Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 28, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth2 October 1942

Age82 Years

BirthplaceBombay (now Mumbai), Bombay Presidency, British India

ProfessionActress, Director, Producer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Bachubhai Parekh; Mother - Sudha Parekh

Asha Parekh Biography

Asha Parekh is an Indian film actress, director and producer whose career began as a child artist in the 1950s. Known for her dancing, screen presence and

Early life and background

Asha Parekh was born on 2 October 1942 in Bombay (now Mumbai), then part of the Bombay Presidency in British India. Raised as an only child in a middle-class Gujarati family, her father Bachubhai Parekh was Jain and her mother Sudha Parekh was Muslim. She grew up in Mumbai and received early training in classical dance, performing on stage from a young age.

Career

Parekh began working in films as a child artist. Her earliest credited appearance came in the 1952 film Aasmaan where she was billed as Baby Asha Parekh. After a few child roles she temporarily stepped away from acting to continue her schooling, but returned to the screen as a teenager. A dance performance seen by director Bimal Roy led to a role in the 1954 film Baap Beti.

At 16 she sought parts as a heroine. Within days of an early rejection she was cast by Nasir Hussain in Dil Deke Dekho (1959) opposite Shammi Kapoor, a film that established her as a leading star. Parekh went on to appear in several films for Nasir Hussain and later served as a distributor for his films for over two decades.

During the peak of her acting career she earned a reputation as a glamorous performer, a skilled dancer and what was often described as a tomboy image on screen. She also took on serious dramatic roles in films she counted among her favourites, including Do Badan (1966), Chirag (1969) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978).

Her work spanned multiple Indian languages. In addition to Hindi cinema she acted in Gujarati films such as Akhand Saubhagyavati (1963), Punjabi titles including Kankan De Ohle (1971) opposite Dharmendra, and the Kannada film Sharavegada Saradara (1989). As she aged, Parekh transitioned into supporting parts that included roles as sister-in-law and mother.

Beyond acting she founded a production company called Akruti and produced television serials including Baaje Payal, Palash Ke Phool, Kora Kagaz and a comedy series titled Daal Me Kaala. In the early 1990s she directed the Gujarati television serial Jyoti. From 1994 to 2000 she served as President of the Cine Artists' Association.

Parekh remained active in television and related projects later in her career: she judged the reality show Tyohaar Dhamaaka on the 9X Channel in 2008 and continued to cultivate her longstanding interest in dance through a dance academy called Kara Bhavan.

Public profile

Over her long career Parekh received multiple honours. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress in 1971 for Kati Patang. The Government of India awarded her the Padma Shri in 1992. Filmfare recognized her lifetime contribution with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002, and in 2020 she was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. In 2024 she received the Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award from the Maharashtra government.

Her public image has also included some controversy: during her tenure as President of the Cine Artists' Association she was criticized for refusing clearance to certain films.

Personal life

Asha Parekh has been unmarried. She has described having had a longtime boyfriend but did not elaborate publicly on that relationship. She was raised with a devotion to performing arts and continues to be associated with dance; she is reported to be an ardent follower of Sai Baba.

Following the death of her mother she moved from a larger bungalow into a smaller home to care for her ailing father. The family home was located on Azad Road in Juhu, Mumbai.

Latest updates

In 2017 Parekh published an autobiography titled The Hit Girl, co-written with Khalid Mohammed and released by Salman Khan. She remains involved with her dance academy Kara Bhavan and is associated with the Asha Parekh Hospital in Santa Cruz, Mumbai. Her official honors continued into 2024 with the Raj Kapoor Lifetime Achievement Award from the Maharashtra government.

Legacy

Across a career that began in the early 1950s and encompassed film, television, theatre and production, Asha Parekh is remembered as a versatile performer who combined classical dance training with a strong screen presence. Her awards and leadership roles within the industry reflect a long-standing influence on Indian cinema and television.
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Recent Work

The Hit Girl (autobiography)

Autobiography co-written with Khalid Mohammed and released by Salman Khan

2017
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted as a child artist in Aasmaan (1952)
  2. Breakout lead role in Dil Deke Dekho (1959)
  3. Filmfare Best Actress Award for Kati Patang (1971)
  4. Padma Shri (1992)
  5. Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (2002)
  6. Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2020)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Asha Parekh born?

2 October 1942

What is Asha Parekh known for?

Actress, Director, Producer

What is Asha Parekh’s marital status?

Unmarried