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Fatima Sana Shaikh Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 4, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth11 January 1992

Age33 Years

BirthplaceHyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana)

ProfessionActress

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Vipin Sharma; Mother - Raj Tabassum; Brother - Shaanib (elder)

Fatima Sana Shaikh Biography

Fatima Sana Shaikh is an Indian actress known for her breakthrough portrayal of Geeta Phogat in the 2016 blockbuster Dangal. Beginning her career as achild

Early life and background

Fatima Sana Shaikh was born on 11 January 1992 in Hyderabad (then Andhra Pradesh). She grew up in Mumbai and completed her schooling at St. Xavier’s High School, Mumbai, before attending Mithibai College and Chauhan Institutes of Science & Amrutben Jivanlal College of Commerce and Economics. Her family has roots in Jammu and Kashmir. Fatima was raised in a household with a Hindu father and a Muslim mother, and she identifies as atheist. She has an elder brother named Shaanib.

Career

Fatima’s screen journey began as a child actor. She appeared in several films in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including a role at age five in Chachi 420 (1997), and later appearances in Bade Dilwala (1999) and One 2 Ka 4 (2001). After a break to focus on her studies, she returned to acting and played Zoya in Tahaan (2008), which marked her film comeback as a young performer. She also worked in television, appearing in shows such as Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo and the sitcom Best of Luck Nikki, and later on Ladies Special.

Over the next decade she moved steadily into adult roles in Hindi and regional cinema, with credits in Bittoo Boss (2012) and Akaash Vani (2013). Her performance as wrestler Geeta Phogat in Dangal (2016) brought wide recognition; the film was one of the highest grossers of the year and established her as a prominent actor in mainstream Hindi cinema. For Dangal she underwent multiple audition rounds, watched wrestling footage to learn movement and posture, and trained with fitness coach Kripa Shankar Patel Bishnoi as part of a rigorous preparation that included workshops with crew members and co-actors.

Following Dangal, Fatima continued to appear in commercial and anthology films, including Thugs of Hindostan (2018), Ludo (2020), Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari (2020), Ajeeb Daastaans (2021), and Thar (2022). In 2022 she appeared in the Modern Love Mumbai anthology on Amazon Prime Video, portraying Lalzari in the Raat Rani episode directed by Shonali Bose. Her more recent film work includes a role as Indira Gandhi in Sam Bahadur (2023). She has also been featured in music videos and worked behind the camera as an assistant cinematographer on two television commercials.

Public profile

Fatima is known for her interest in fitness and for maintaining a disciplined workout routine. Outside acting she pursues photography, sketching, reading, and dancing. She has worked in commercial endorsements for brands such as KitKat, Fossil, Tata Harrier, and Dabur Almond. In 2022 she and John Abraham were named PETA India’s Most Beautiful vegetarian. Fatima is a pet lover who has kept dogs and cats, and she enjoys riding bikes.

Her rise after Dangal included industry recognition: she received the Jackie Chan Action Movie Award for Best Action Actress (2017) for her work in that film, and she was listed among The Times Most Desirable Women in 2020.

Personal and public matters

Fatima has spoken openly about health and personal challenges. During promotion and training for Dangal she experienced a medical episode and was later diagnosed with epilepsy; she has described a period of denial and then learning to live and work around the condition. She has also discussed encountering inappropriate behaviour early in her life and has referenced that experience in the broader context of the #MeToo movement.

Throughout her career she has faced public scrutiny and online controversy, including social media rumours and criticism over personal choices. She has addressed false claims directly when necessary. Fatima has been linked in the media to several actors, including Aamir Khan and Aparshakti Khurana, but she and those involved have publicly described many such reports as rumours.

Latest updates

Fatima continues to act across formats. Her recent screen appearances include the Raat Rani episode of Modern Love Mumbai (2022) and the film Sam Bahadur (2023), in which she portrayed Indira Gandhi. She remains active in film, streaming projects, and brand endorsements while continuing personal pursuits such as photography and fitness.
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Recent Work

Modern Love Mumbai (Raat Rani episode)

Played Lalzari in the Amazon Prime Video anthology episode directed by Shonali Bose (2022).

2022
Sam Bahadur

Portrayed Indira Gandhi in the film.

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Began career as a child actor in films including Chachi 420 (1997).
  2. Breakthrough role as Geeta Phogat in Dangal (2016).
  3. Received Jackie Chan Action Movie Award for Best Action Actress (2017).
  4. Featured in films across mainstream and anthology cinema, and in web series.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Fatima Sana Shaikh born?

11 January 1992

What is Fatima Sana Shaikh known for?

Actress

What is Fatima Sana Shaikh’s marital status?

Unmarried