Long before 'Dangal' happened, Fatima Sana Shaikh was a popular child artist in Hindi cinema.
Fatima Sana Shaikh's debut in Bollywood - 'Dangal' with superstar Aamir Khan - was one that others can only dream of. No, it wasn't really the conventional kind that would make someone a "national crush" overnight. Breaking the stereotypes, she played the role of a wrestler on the screen, showcasing her raw talent to the world. With that, she set an example that it doesn't always have to be all about glamor - sometimes passion, hard work, and determination are enough to leave a mark.
Fatima Sana Shaikh featured as wrestler Geeta Phogat in ‘Dangal’.
'Dangal' was a massive success both critically and commercially, making Fatima a favorite of everyone. However, not many know that it wasn't her first screen appearance. Well, she had worked as a child artist for years, and chances are, you admired her work back then without even realizing who she would become one day.
(Credit: fatimasanashaikh)
The actress turns 33 today. On this occasion, we share an interesting fact about her that you didn't know.
At the age of 5, Fatima made her debut as a child artist in Kamal Haasan's blockbuster, 'Chachi 420'. She played an adorable kid (the daughter of Haasan and Tabu) in the film, earning enormous love from all across India.
Later, reminiscing her experience of working in that film, the actress shared in an interview, "The first time I ever faced the camera was for Chachi 420...I was five at the time of shooting was just happy to be on a holiday with my family in Madras...I remember being pampered a lot by everyone on the set, including Kamal Haasan sir and Tabu..."
(Credit: fatimasanashaikh)
"I don't remember much about working with Kamal Haasan sir as I was too small. I remember I had a great time. As a child you are innocent, you don't think about acting, you are just there and do it," she said.
(Credit: rj_pulkita)
Released in 1997, 'Chachi 420' is a Hindi-language comedy film co-written, produced, and directed by Kamal Haasan. Starring Haasan as the lead, the film is an official remake of the 1996 Tamil film 'Avvai Shanmughi', which itself was an adaptation of the 1993 American film 'Mrs. Doubtfire'.
Besides the Tamil superstar and Fatima, it also stars Nassar, Tabu, Amrish Puri, Om Puri, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Walker, Rajendranath Zutshi, and Ayesha Jhulka among others.
(Credit: B4U Mini Theatre)
It collected around Rs 11.42 crore at the box office, which is equivalent to Rs 58 crore as of today.
Besides 'Chachi 420', Fatima also appeared in 'One 2 Ka 4' (2001) as a child artist. She played Jackie Shroff's youngest daughter in the film.
As an adult, the actress began her acting career with Santosh Sivan's drama film 'Tahaan', which received "The German Star of India award" at "Bollywood and Beyond" festival in Stuttgart, Germany in 2009.
She competed with thousands of girls to secure her role in 'Dangal'. To prepare for her role, she went through intense physical training and workshops with director Nitesh Tiwari and actor Aamir Khan.
Happy Birthday, Fatima. Best Wishes For All Your Upcoming Endeavors!
