Tabu (born Tabassum Hashmi Khan on November 4, 1970 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India) is an award-winning Indian actress who has acted in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi and English films. Largely considered to be one of the best actresses working in the Indian film industry, she has won the coveted National Film Award for Best Actress twice. She is best known for her critically acclaimed acting in many films rather than achieving box office success. She is considered one of the finest and most versatile actresses in the country.Tabu is known best for her willingness to play characters in artistic, low-budget films that go on to garner more critical appreciation than they do substantial box office figures such as in Maqbool or Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities (2004). Known to be selective on her film roles the actress has said, "I do films which move me and most of all, the unit and the director should appeal to me."
Tabassum "Tabu" Hashmi began her career in the film Hum Naujawan (1985) at the age of fifteen; she played Dev Anand's daughter in the film. Her first role as an actress was in the Telugu film Coolie No. 1. Her first release in Hindi as a leading lady was Pehla Pehla Pyar which went un-noticed She came into prominence with her role in Vijaypath (1994) opposite Ajay Devgan for which she received the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. This was followed by many films that did not do well at the box office
