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Nafisa Ali Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 10, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth18 January 1957

Age68 Years

BirthplaceKolkata, West Bengal, India

ProfessionActress, Social Activist, Politician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseColonel R S Sodhi

FamilySon - Ajit Sodhi; Daughters - Pia Sodhi, Armana Sodhi

Nafisa Ali Biography

Nafisa Ali is an Indian actress, former Miss India, social activist and politician from Kolkata. With a career spanning film, public service and grassroots

Early life and background

Nafisa Ali was born on 18 January 1957 in Kolkata, West Bengal. Raised in a family with a photographer father and a mother of Anglo-Indian heritage, she attended La Martiniere in Calcutta. Her upbringing combined diverse cultural influences and early interests that would later shape a multi-faceted public life.

As a young athlete she excelled in swimming, becoming a national swimming champion in the early 1970s. She also pursued equestrian interests and was active in varied pursuits from an early age, even recalling youthful attempts at small-scale entrepreneurship.

Career

Nafisa Ali’s public profile began to rise after she won the Miss India title in 1976 and placed as second runner-up at Miss International in 1977. Her screen debut came in 1979 with the film Junoon, which opened a career in cinema that included roles across Hindi and regional films.

Her film appearances include Junoon (1979), a return to mainstream Hindi cinema with Major Saab (1998), a Malayalam appearance in Big B (2007), and a role in Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011). She was also associated with the Children’s Film Society of India, serving as its chairperson in 2005.

Beyond acting, Nafisa Ali has pursued entrepreneurial and creative projects. She runs a boutique named APPNA, an enterprise whose name reflects family initials and whose logo was designed by her mother.

Public service and political life

Nafisa Ali has combined on-screen work with active social engagement. She launched relief efforts after major disasters, including work following the Orissa super-cyclone in 1999 and the Gujarat earthquake in 2001, helping rebuild homes and support affected communities. She has also worked with NGOs focused on AIDS awareness and community outreach, including visiting red-light areas to support HIV-positive individuals.

Her political involvement spans multiple parties. She entered electoral politics in 2004, contesting a Lok Sabha seat from South Kolkata for the Indian National Congress. In 2009 she contested the Lucknow seat on a Samajwadi Party ticket and subsequently rejoined the Indian National Congress later that year. In October 2021 she joined the All India Trinamool Congress. In 2005 she served as India’s official government delegate at the 49th UN Summit on the Status of Women in New York.

Personal life

Nafisa Ali married Colonel R. S. Sodhi, a decorated polo player and Arjuna Awardee. The couple navigated family opposition and cultural differences to formalize their union in registered and Sikh ceremonies. They have three children: a son, Ajit Sodhi, and two daughters, Pia and Armana Sodhi. Her elder daughter Pia married in December 2017.

Public profile

Nafisa Ali’s life has been marked by high-visibility roles on screen and in public life. In addition to cinematic credits and social work, she has been publicly associated with humanitarian initiatives and cultural engagements. She has spoken about personal choices and moments that shaped her life and career, and she has been recognized for bringing attention to causes ranging from disaster relief to public health.

Health and recent developments

In November 2018 Nafisa Ali was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. The diagnosis has been part of her recent public narrative.

Latest updates

In October 2021 she joined the All India Trinamool Congress, continuing her active participation in Indian politics. She was slated to appear in Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3, a project noted in reports about her recent screen work.

Nafisa Ali remains a figure who has moved between acting, activism and politics while maintaining a public presence shaped by service and creativity.
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Recent Work

Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3

Reported as a forthcoming appearance in the film noted in public reports

2018
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Career Highlights

  1. Miss India winner (1976) and second runner-up at Miss International (1977)
  2. Film debut in Junoon (1979) and roles in Major Saab (1998), Big B (2007) and Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011)
  3. Chairperson of the Children’s Film Society of India (2005)
  4. Active in disaster relief and AIDS awareness work
  5. Served as India’s delegate to the 49th UN Summit on the Status of Women (2005)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Nafisa Ali born?

18 January 1957

What is Nafisa Ali known for?

Actress, Social Activist, Politician

What is Nafisa Ali’s marital status?

Married

Who is Nafisa Ali married to?

Colonel R S Sodhi