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Neelima Azeem Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth2 December 1958

Age66 Years

BirthplaceMoscow

ProfessionActress, Classical Dancer, Writer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusDivorced

FamilyFather: Anwar Azeem; Sons: Shahid Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter; Brother: A N Anwer; Maternal grandfather: Khwaja Ahmad Abbas

Neelima Azeem Biography

Neelima Azeem is an Indian actress, Kathak dancer and writer whose career spans film, television and digital platforms. Trained from a young age under Pand

Early life and background

Neelima Azeem was born on 2 December 1958 in Moscow and grew up with strong cultural and artistic influences in her family. Her father is journalist and Urdu author Anwar Azeem and her maternal grandfather was Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, a noted filmmaker, novelist and journalist. She attended Mater Dei School in New Delhi and All Saints' College in Nainital. Neelima later pursued formal training in Kathak at the Sangeet Natak Akademi, earning an M.A. in Kathak.

She began performing as a child and received early classical dance training from Pandit Birju Maharaj beginning around age ten, a mentorship that lasted for decades. Alongside Kathak, she studied with other established teachers and also trained in classical singing with Ustad Munnawar Ali Khan of the Kasur-Patiala gharana. By her teens she was already representing Kathak in public projects and took part in theatrical work with director Habib Tanvir.

Career

Neelima Azeem's professional acting career includes work across Hindi cinema, television and web series. Her screen debut came in 1989 with the film Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro, in which she played the role of Mumtaz, and the same year she made a television breakthrough as Shehnaz in the Doordarshan serial Phir Wahi Talash.

Through the 1990s and 2000s she continued to take on supporting roles in both films and television. In 1990 she appeared in the historical series The Sword of Tipu Sultan. Film credits from this period include Sadak (1991), Karmyoddha (1992) and Itihaas (1997), and later work included Sooryavansham (1999) and the ensemble romantic comedy Just Married (2007). In 2003 she played Shahid Kapoor’s on-screen mother in Ishq Vishk, the film that marked his debut.

Television appearances over the years include Talaash (1992), Bible Ki Kahaniyan (1993), Junoon (1994), Saans (2002), Amrapali (2002), Kashmeer (2003) and the 2010 series Dhoondh Legi Manzil Humein. In the digital era she has taken roles in web series as well: she played Suhasini Joshi in Mom & Co. (2019) on Zoom Studios’ YouTube channel and drew praise for her portrayal of Farzana Shaikh in the web series Halala (2019) on Ullu.

In 2016 she appeared as Zeher Raza in the film Alif, which was later screened at the Indian International Film Festival of Queensland. More recent film appearances include Blackmail (2018).

Alongside acting, Neelima has maintained an active life in dance. She founded the Roots Academy in Mumbai to teach Kathak. Her students have included several actors who have trained with her for film and stage work.

Public profile

Neelima has spoken publicly about the challenges she faced in the film industry, including creative frustrations where roles were reduced or altered. She has also discussed broader industry issues she encountered during her career. Her work has been recognized with awards, including the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Novel Award in 2017.

Family and personal life

Neelima Azeem is the mother of two sons who are actors: Shahid Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter. She has been married and divorced multiple times. Her first marriage was to actor Pankaj Kapur (m. 1979–div. 1984), followed by a marriage to actor Rajesh Khattar (m. 1990–div. 2001), and later to classical vocalist Raza Ali Khan (m. 2004–div. 2009). Her brother A N Anwer is also in the acting profession. She has described an early and deep commitment to dance and performance that shaped both her artistic and teaching careers.

Latest updates

Neelima continues to remain active in teaching Kathak through her academy and periodically appears in film, television and web projects. Her career over several decades reflects a balance of classical dance, stage and screen work, and a continuing engagement with younger performers through instruction and mentorship.
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Recent Work

Alif

Played Zeher Raza; film screened at the Indian International Film Festival of Queensland

2016
Ishq Vishk

Played the on-screen mother of Shahid Kapoor in his debut film

2003
Mom & Co.

Portrayed Suhasini Joshi in the web series on Zoom Studios' YouTube channel

2019
Halala

Played Farzana Shaikh in the web series on Ullu

2019
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted in film with Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro (1989)
  2. Breakthrough television role as Shehnaz in Phir Wahi Talash (1989)
  3. Longstanding Kathak disciple of Pandit Birju Maharaj
  4. Founded the Roots Academy for Kathak in Mumbai
  5. Acted across film, television and web series including Alif (2016) and Halala (2019)
  6. Recipient of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Novel Award (2017)
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Neelima Azeem born?

2 December 1958

What is Neelima Azeem known for?

Actress, Classical Dancer, Writer

What is Neelima Azeem’s marital status?

Divorced