
Naseeruddin Shah
Personal Details
Biography
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian actor whose career spans parallel and mainstream Hindi cinema across five decades. Born on 20 July 1950 in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, he trained at the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India before becoming a leading figure of the 1970s art-film movement. His work ranges from Nishant, Aakrosh and Sparsh to popular titles such as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Masoom, Mirch Masala and A Wednesday, along with international films like Monsoon Wedding. In recent years he joined the web series Bandish Bandits. He is married to actress Ratna Pathak Shah, and his sons Imaad and Vivaan Shah and daughter Heeba Shah are also actors.
Naseeruddin Shah Biography
Naseeruddin Shah is an Indian actor whose work spans parallel cinema and mainstream Hindi films across five decades. Born on 20 July 1950 in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, he trained at the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India before emerging as a leading face of the 1970s art-film movement. His early credits include Nishant, Aakrosh and Sparsh, and he later moved fluidly between serious drama and popular hits such as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Masoom and A Wednesday. This page covers the Naseeruddin Shah biography, along with his age, family, wife, sons, web series, movies and net worth.
Naseeruddin Shah Age and Height
Many fans look up how old he is and how tall the actor stands. Born on 20 July 1950, his age is 75 as of 2026, with a birthday on 20 July. On height, he measures about 5 ft 9 in (175 cm). His religion is Islam and his zodiac sign is Cancer. The table below sums up the Naseeruddin Shah height, weight and other physical details that readers search for.
Early Life and Training
He was raised in Uttar Pradesh and studied at St. Anselm's Ajmer and later at Aligarh Muslim University. Drawn to the stage, he joined the National School of Drama in Delhi and then the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, where he built the craft that shaped his screen work.
Inside the Naseeruddin Shah Family
His household today centres on his wife, actress Ratna Pathak Shah, and their two sons. From his first marriage he has a daughter, Heeba Shah, who also acts. Faith is often searched, and his religion is Islam, though he has spoken publicly about holding a secular, questioning outlook.
Naseeruddin Shah Wife and Children
The Naseeruddin Shah wife is actress Ratna Pathak Shah, whom he married in 1982. Before that, his first wife was Manara Sikri, from whom he was later divorced; that marriage produced his daughter Heeba Shah. Readers regularly search for the Naseeruddin Shah son and first wife.
A Look at the Naseeruddin Shah Children
With Ratna Pathak Shah he has two sons, Imaad Shah and Vivaan Shah, both of whom work as actors. Along with daughter Heeba Shah, the family has a strong presence across theatre, film and web content, and their careers remain a point of public interest.
Early Naseeruddin Shah Films and Breakthrough
His breakthrough came with Shyam Benegal's Nishant (1975), part of a wave of realist cinema that also gave him Manthan, Bhumika and Aakrosh. Over the years he balanced these with commercial roles, showing an unusual range for an actor rooted in the art-house tradition.
Best Naseeruddin Shah Movies
A Naseeruddin Shah movies list of his most admired work — sometimes searched as the movies of Naseeruddin Shah or his filmography — includes Sparsh (1980), Mirch Masala (1987), Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), Masoom (1983), Ijaazat (1987), A Wednesday (2008) and The Dirty Picture (2011). International projects such as Monsoon Wedding and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen widened his reach abroad.
Web Series and Theatre of Naseeruddin Shah
In recent years he moved into streaming, drawing fresh searches for the Naseeruddin Shah web series. He appeared in Bandish Bandits and other digital titles, while continuing his long association with the stage through his theatre group Motley, which he co-founded in the late 1970s.
Other Details
Naseeruddin Shah Net Worth
The Naseeruddin Shah net worth is reported by third-party outlets at around 20 million US dollars, an estimate rather than an officially confirmed figure. Income across his career has come from acting fees in film and web work, theatre, and occasional endorsements. Because the actor has never disclosed exact numbers, any Naseeruddin Shah net worth in rupees or dollars should be read as approximate.
Some Lesser Known Facts
- He trained at both the National School of Drama and the Film and Television Institute of India.
- He co-founded the theatre group Motley in the late 1970s.
- He received the Padma Shri in 1987 and the Padma Bhushan in 2003.
- His sons Imaad Shah and Vivaan Shah, and daughter Heeba Shah, are all actors.
- He has won multiple National Film Awards over his career.
- He appeared in international films including Monsoon Wedding and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
Awards & Recognition
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