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Nazneen Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 6, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth23 February 1958

Age62 Years (as listed)

BirthplaceKolkata, West Bengal, India

ProfessionActress

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseName Not Known

FamilyDaughters: Kausar Merchant, Kehkashan Merchant; niece of Mumtaz Begum

Nazneen Biography

Nazneen is an Indian actress best known for her television portrayal of Kunti in the 1988 epic series Mahabharat. Born in Kolkata, she began her film works

Early life and background

Nazneen Merchant was born on 23 February 1958 in Kolkata, West Bengal. Raised in a middle-class Muslim household, she spent her early years in Kolkata before attending Hill Grange High School in Mumbai. From childhood she aspired to become an air hostess, a career choice that her mother worried was not safe.

Nazneen’s family included relatives already connected to the film world; she is the niece of veteran Bollywood actress Mumtaz Begum and related to producer Yusuf Teendarwazwala. These connections helped bring her into contact with industry figures during her youth.

Career

Nazneen entered films in the early 1970s. Her cinematic debut was in Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa (1972), discovered after being noticed at a gathering by director Satyen Bose. Bose signed her to a two-film agreement, though those particular projects did not reach production. Early in her career she was offered character parts that capitalized on a resemblance to Jaya Bachchan, including the role of Jaya’s sister in Kora Kagaz, but Nazneen preferred to pursue leading roles.

Over the years she worked in roughly 22 films. Notable titles from her filmography include Chalte Chalte (1976), Fauji (1976), Dildaar (1977), Khuda Kasam (1981) and Do Ustad (1982). In Chalte Chalte she took a bold approach to establish herself in lead roles, including a screen moment intended to demonstrate her willingness to take on more prominent parts. She also appeared as a leading actress in a number of lower-budget or "B" class productions.

Television brought her widespread recognition when she took on the role of Kunti in B.R. Chopra’s Mahabharat in 1988. That portrayal became the work for which she is most widely remembered and helped cement her place in the popular imagination.

Public profile

Nazneen’s physical appearance has been described with a height of about 165 cm (5'5"), brown eyes and black hair. Her zodiac sign is Pisces. She attended the same school as actress Neetu Singh, and over time has sometimes been confused with another actress named Nazneen (Aloka, wife of actor Ranjeet) because of the shared name.

Personal life

Nazneen is married. She and her husband have two daughters, Kausar Merchant and Kehkashan Merchant. Her father owned a printing press. Her listed hobbies include travelling and reading. Her nationality is Indian and her hometown remains Kolkata.

Latest updates

While Nazneen’s film output is primarily concentrated in the 1970s and early 1980s, her television role in Mahabharat continues to be the most enduring aspect of her public legacy. There are no additional recent professional projects listed in the provided information.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Nazneen, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Mahabharat

Television role as Kunti in the 1988 epic series

1988
Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa

Film debut

1972
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Career Highlights

  1. Film debut in Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa (1972)
  2. Played Kunti in the television series Mahabharat (1988)
  3. Worked in around 22 films including Chalte Chalte (1976) and Khuda Kasam (1981)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Nazneen born?

Nazneen was born on 23 February 1958.

What is Nazneen known for?

Nazneen is known for actress.

What is Nazneen’s marital status?

Nazneen's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Nazneen married to?

Nazneen is publicly listed as married to Name Not Known.