Zarina Wahab is an Indian actress who mainly worked in Hindi and Malayalam movies. She’s well-known for her great roles in films like “Chitchor” and “Gopal Krishna” in Hindi, and in Malayalam films such as “Madanolsavam,” “Chamaram,” “Palangal,” and “Adaminte Makan Abu.”
Wahab was born in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, into a Muslim family. She speaks Telugu, Urdu, Hindi, and English. She learned acting at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune. Wahab has three sisters and one brother.
When film producer Raj Kapoor criticized her looks, Wahab worked hard on her appearance and attended film parties. Eventually, she got noticed and started getting roles in movies. After her first major role in Basu Chatterjee’s “Chit Chor” in 1976, she often played middle-class characters in films like “Agar,” “Jazbaat,” “Sawan Ko Aane Do,” and “Raees Zada.” She was even nominated for a Filmfare Award for her role in “Gharonda” in 1977. Wahab has acted in many Malayalam, Telugu, and Tamil films. She returned to Malayalam cinema with “Calendar” in 2009 and is remembered for her role in “Adaminte Makan Abu.” She also appeared in “My Name Is Khan” as Rizwan Khan’s mother (played by Shah Rukh Khan).
Wahab met actor Aditya Pancholi on the set of “Kalank Ka Tika.” They got married in 1986 and have a daughter named Sana and a son named Sooraj. Their marriage has been talked about due to her husband’s temper and rumors of infidelity. Wahab’s daughter is also an actress. Her son, Sooraj, made headlines when he was arrested in 2013 in connection with Jiah Khan’s death. He later made his Bollywood debut in 2015 in the movie “Hero” alongside Sunil Shetty’s daughter, Athiya Shetty. Wahab now often plays older roles in TV serials.