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Naseeruddin Shah

Naseeruddin Shah

Actor/Actress
Known For
Actor/Actress
Born
20 July 1950
Birthplace
Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, India
Nationality
Indian
Net Worth
$20 Million+ (reported estimate)
Active Since
1975

Personal Details

Real Name
Naseeruddin Shah
Marital Status
Married
Education
Aligarh Muslim University; National School of Drama; Film and Television Institute of India
Genres
Drama, Thriller, Comedy

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.

Height
5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight
72 kg (159 lbs)
Eye Colour
Dark Brown
Hair Colour
Salt & Pepper
Zodiac Sign
Cancer
Religion
Islam

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

Signature Films
Sparsh, Masoom, Mirch Masala, A Wednesday
Web Series
Bandish Bandits
Theatre Group
Motley (co-founder)
Training
NSD & FTII
Honours
Padma Shri (1987), Padma Bhushan (2003)
Best-Known For
Parallel and mainstream Hindi cinema

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

Awards
Padma Shri
1987
Padma Bhushan
2003
National Film Award for Best Actor (multiple)
1984

FAQs

Naseeruddin Shah was born on 20 July 1950 in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, which makes him 75 years old in 2026.
His wife is actress Ratna Pathak Shah, whom he married in 1982. His first wife was Manara Sikri, from whom he was later divorced.
He has three children: sons Imaad Shah and Vivaan Shah with Ratna Pathak Shah, and daughter Heeba Shah from his first marriage. All three are actors.
He is known for Sparsh, Masoom, Mirch Masala, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Ijaazat, A Wednesday and The Dirty Picture.
He moved into streaming with titles such as Bandish Bandits, alongside his long theatre and film work.
His net worth is reported at around 20 million US dollars, though this is an unverified public estimate drawn from film, web, theatre and endorsement work.
He is about 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall.

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