Actor Fatima Sana Shaikh will be among the personalities attending NDTV Yuva 2026, bringing attention to a career that has evolved across mainstream Hindi cinema, streaming projects and character-driven roles.
From beginning as a child artist to earning widespread recognition with Dangal, Shaikh has steadily taken on varied characters, including a wrestler, warrior, wife, traveller and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Ahead of her appearance at NDTV Yuva 2026, here is a look at her acting journey.
Fatima Sana Shaikh’s Early Acting Career
Born on January 11, 1992, in Hyderabad and raised in Mumbai, Fatima Sana Shaikh entered the entertainment industry at a young age.
She appeared as a child artist in films including ** Chachi 420 (1997)** and ** One 2 Ka 4 (2001). After taking a break from the screen, she returned to films with ** Tahaan (2008), in which she played Zoya.
Tahaan went on to receive the German Star of India Award at the Bollywood and Beyond festival in Stuttgart in 2009.
Dangal Became Fatima Sana Shaikh’s Breakthrough
Shaikh’s career changed significantly with Nitesh Tiwari’s Dangal in 2016.
The actor played Geeta Phogat, one of the wrestler daughters of Mahavir Singh Phogat, with Sanya Malhotra portraying Babita Phogat. Both actors underwent multiple audition rounds before being selected and subsequently participated in extensive physical training and workshops involving Tiwari and Aamir Khan.
Shaikh prepared extensively for the wrestling role. She studied videos of wrestlers to understand their movements, walking styles and body language. She and Malhotra were also trained by former wrestler and coach Kripa Shankar Patel Bishnoi.
Released in December 2016, Dangal became a major commercial and critical success and crossed the Rs 2,000-crore mark worldwide, becoming one of the biggest Indian films at the global box office.
From Thugs of Hindostan to Ludo
Following Dangal, Shaikh took on another large-scale role in ** Thugs of Hindostan (2018)**.
She portrayed Zafira Baig, a warrior and skilled archer, opposite Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan. Although the film featured a major ensemble cast and elaborate action sequences, it did not perform as expected commercially.
Shaikh subsequently moved into more contemporary and character-focused projects.
In ** Ludo (2020), she played a woman trying to establish her husband’s innocence, opposite Rajkummar Rao. She also appeared alongside Diljit Dosanjh in ** Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari, playing a woman from a traditional family.
Fatima Sana Shaikh Explores OTT and Diverse Characters
Streaming projects gave Shaikh opportunities to experiment with different kinds of performances.
In ** Ajeeb Daastaans (2021)**, she played an unhappy married woman who becomes involved with a character portrayed by Jaideep Ahlawat.
She followed this with two notable projects in 2022. In ** Modern Love Mumbai**, Shaikh portrayed a Kashmiri housemaid whose character’s personal journey leads her to reassess her own worth.
She then appeared in ** Thar** opposite Harshvardhan Kapoor, playing a woman from Rajasthan. Her performance received attention from critics and earned her a Filmfare OTT Awards nomination for Best Actress in a Web Original Film.
Dhak Dhak and Sam Bahadur
In 2023, Shaikh starred in ** Dhak Dhak**, taking on the role of a woman who embarks on a motorcycle journey. The performance earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress.
The same year brought another very different challenge when she portrayed former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in ** Sam Bahadur**.
Directed by Meghna Gulzar, the film focused on Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, played by Vicky Kaushal. Sanya Malhotra also featured in the film.
Shaikh’s role required her to portray a real historical figure while working within a larger period drama centred on Manekshaw’s life and career.
Fatima Sana Shaikh’s Recent Films
Shaikh returned to the big screen in 2025 with Metro… In Dino. She played a working wife dealing with an unplanned pregnancy, opposite Ali Fazal.
She subsequently appeared in ** Aap Jaisa Koi**, where she played a spirited French instructor opposite R Madhavan.
These projects continued Shaikh’s pattern of moving between mainstream cinema and stories built around more personal, character-driven narratives.
Fatima Sana Shaikh Beyond Acting
Shaikh has also worked as a photographer, demonstrating an interest in visual storytelling beyond acting.
She has additionally spoken publicly about her experience of living with epilepsy, using her platform to raise awareness about the neurological condition.
Her career has therefore extended beyond conventional film roles, with her public conversations also bringing attention to an aspect of her personal experience.
Fatima Sana Shaikh at NDTV Yuva 2026
Fatima Sana Shaikh’s appearance at NDTV Yuva 2026 comes after nearly three decades in the entertainment industry, beginning with child-artist roles and progressing to prominent performances in films such as Dangal, Thugs of Hindostan, Ludo, Thar, Dhak Dhak and Sam Bahadur.
Her filmography reflects a willingness to move between genres and character types, while her work on streaming platforms has further expanded the range of roles associated with her career.
Shaikh was also ranked No. 48 on The Times Most Desirable Women list in 2020.
As she joins the lineup at NDTV Yuva 2026, her journey offers a look at an actor who has continued to reinvent her screen presence across different phases of Hindi cinema.
