Meet Fatima Sana Shaikh worked with
SRK Kamal Haasan
Manish Malhotra’s Gustaakh Ishq fame actress Fatima Sana Shaikh opens up on her filmi career.
Fatima ventured into her film career at a very young age. Her earliest roles include Chachi 420 released in 1997 where she played Bharti, the daughter of Kamal Haasan’s character, marking her debut in cinema. She also appeared alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla in One 2 Ka 4 released in 2001 that further cemented her presence as a child artist.
These early experiences gave her the rare opportunity to work with some of the biggest names in Indian cinema even before she turned 10.
Fatima’s first film as an adult was Tahaan released in 2008, where she played Zoya. While the film was modest in scale, it marked her transition from child actor to serious performer. Her breakthrough, however, came much later.
Fatima’s career transformed with Dangal released in 2016, where she portrayed wrestler Geeta Phogat. The film turned out to be the highest‑grossing Indian film of all time, and her performance received widespread acclaim.
For Fatima collaborating with Aamir Khan was a turning point. She spoke over the intense physical training and discipline required for the role, which went on to reshape her career trajectory.
Following Dangal, she continued her collaboration with major industry figures that include Thugs of Hindostan released in 2018 again alongside Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. Ludo released in 2020 directed by Anurag Basu, featuring ensemble stars Rajkummar Rao and Abhishek Bachchan; Ajeeb Daastaans released in 2021 a Netflix anthology with acclaimed directors and actors; Modern Love Mumbai relesded in 2022 a celebrated streaming series; Sam Bahadur in 2023 where she portrayed Indira Gandhi, a role that earned her significant praise.
Her performance in Dhak Dhak released in 2023 even won her a Filmfare Critics Award nomination for Best Actress.
Fatima’s most recent film is Manish Malhotra’s Gustaakh Ishq (2025), a 1990s‑set romantic drama co‑featuring Vijay Varma and Naseeruddin Shah. The film released on November 28, 2025. Early box‑office reports show a modest opening of ₹50 lakh on Day 1, with hopes of weekend growth driven by word‑of‑mouth.
News Edit KV Raman
